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Martino Alonso, the sire of 2007 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup winner Ramonti, was kidnapped from his box at the Siba Stud at Antezzate, near Brescia, Italy last Thursday night.

Kidnapping is a running strand of Italian life but, as far as the racing industry is concerned, it has mainly affected leading trotters in recent years. Like them, Martino Alonso has presumably been taken for ransom.

A son of Marju, bred by Godolphin Management in Ireland in 1994, Martino Alonso raced for Scuderia Siba winning nine times in 33 appearances between the ages of three and six.

He could not win a Group race but he was second and third in Group 1 events. Siba gave him his chance at stud and the four-time Group 1 winner Ramonti made his name.

After a number of small crops, he is now being well patronised and was the leading sire of two-year-olds in Italy to October 11.

He is fourth on the list of leading sires with many fewer runners than the others at the top and stands for a fee of €7,000.

- From Racing Post, by IRB Staff