Mr Magnus eager to see Rey rise in G2 Rubiton Stakes

No one understands Magnus progeny better than Robbie Griffiths, and that knowledge gives the Cranbourne trainer confidence that Rey Magnerio can take the next step towards becoming a Group 1 sprinter.

The five-year-old gelding resumes in this Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield.

The 1100-metre event will mark Rey Magnerio’s 18th start, and Griffiths hopes this preparation will see him develop into a genuine top-level performer.

“I do think that there’s room for him to develop, and all of the Magnuses we’ve ever had, they’ve improved with age—he’s no exception,” Griffiths said.

“It’ll be no surprise to see him step up a level, but he has to, because we’re targeting the two best handicap sprints we have—the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket—so you want to be at your best.”

Magnus, a son of Flying Spur, has been at stud since 2008 and has sired over 2000 winners, amassing more than $90 million in prize money.

Griffiths has trained 84 of those winners, more than double the next most successful trainer of Magnus progeny.

Rey Magnerio has contributed seven wins to that tally, missing a place only three times in his career. Last spring, he had five starts for five top-three finishes.

His most recent outing saw him finish second in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne on November 23, following a Listed win and a Group 3 second placing at Flemington during Melbourne Cup Week.

The Rubiton Stakes serves as the first step towards the $1.5m Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8, with a likely start in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) in between.

“He’s ready to return, not at 100 percent, because we want him peaking on Newmarket day,” Griffiths said.

“That’s his key goal—anything he wins along the way is a bonus.

“He’s a highly competitive horse. We targeted Derby Day and Finals Day last year, and he came close both times, so he’s a great horse to set for key races.

“But we think he’s forward enough to give us a strong first-up performance.”

Rey Magnerio will be ridden by Jye McNeil in the Rubiton, jumping from the outside gate in a reduced field of nine following the scratching of Airman.