The year has started well for Kildangan stallion Bertolini, who is currently at the top of the all-weather table for 2008 with 11 winners from 33 runners to the end of January, giving him a 33 per cent strike rate. He finished last year in second place with a similarly consistent 31 per cent winners to runners ratio.
Top-rated among his scorers so far this year is Come Out Fighting, who has a Timeform mark of 103. Now five, the Paul Blockley-trained entire is a member of Bertolini’s hugely successful first crop, whose exploits saw their sire crowned leading first-season stallion in 2005. A durable individual, he has now won four races, most recently at Lingfield on 19 January, and has been placed a further eight times in 22 starts for earnings of £59,445. He is out of the College Chapel mare Ulysees Daughter and was bred by Geoffrey Hamer.
The Templeton Stud-bred Baylini, ex Bay Of Plenty (Octagonal), has now extended her wins’ tally to three with a six-length success over ten furlongs at Lingfield on 9 January, having previously been successful over course and distance in November. The four-year-old filly, who is rated 102 by Timeform, clearly enjoys visiting the Sussex track as she won there on her third start at two and has also been placed another four times.
With 77 two-year-old winners to date from three crops of racing age, Bertolini is known for producing precocious stock but durability and consistency are equally essential attributes in a racehorse. Another to boast all three traits is Mogok Ruby, a winner recently at Kempton. The grey gelding also won as a two-year-old on the turf at Sandown and has been in the money for nine of his 16 starts to gain a Timeform rating of 92.
Among Bertolini’s other victors so far this year is seven-time winner Triskaedekophobia, Valhillen, who has scored three times this winter and three-year-olds Bertbrand and Weet By Far.
Bertolini stands at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, which is hosting an open day on Friday, 1 February. His fee for 2008 is €10,000 October 1st Special live foal
