Brydon Mills is thanking his lucky stars that he has a horse like Alberti in his stables.

The lightly raced three -year-old has had just three starts for two wins and a third.

The Bertolini gelding, who was purchased for just $15,000 in 2009, won his last start at Sandown by two and a half lengths.

“He didn’t get a bid (at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale), no one knew the sire, Bertolini, and we bought him privately for $15,000 straight afterwards,” Mills said.

Mills is confident that Alberti is the best hope he has had in his stable for several years.

The trainer last tasted success when his New Zealand galloper Reingard won both the 1985 and 1986 Canberra Cups.

Reingard won a total of nine races, including the Group 2 Canterbury Gold Cup in 1984.

Mills now believes that Alberti could be his next stable star.

“He was a real good type of horse,” Mills said of Alberti.

“I liked his conformation and his breeding.

“He’s from a good, tough New Zealand family and is a good-boned fellow.”

The trainer has found success in buying New Zealand-bred horses.

“All my success has been through buying yearlings from the Waikato and this guy was reared there too,” Mills said.

Alberti is currently nominated to run in the King Island Dairy Handicap at Flemington this Saturday, however, could instead take part in a Three-Year-Old 0-68 Handicap at Sandown the Wednesday after.