Trainer Robbie Griffiths firmly believes Rey Magnerio would have won the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes with a slightly different run in transit.

The Victorian visitor ran a fast-finishing third behind Libertad and Overpass in the $1.5 million 1200m sprint at Ascot last Saturday after struggling to find an ideal position under Willie Pike from barrier 6.

In the eyes of Griffiths if Pike and Rey Magnerio found the back of Jamie Mott and Libertad then he might be a Winterbottom-winning trainer.

“I thought he (Rey) was outstanding,” Griffiths said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

“With no disrespect to 1 and 2 in the race I genuinely believe if he swapped barriers with Jokers Grin and landed on the back of Libertad in a steady-run race we win.

“We were three to four lengths further back than we wanted to be, and rather than being on his backside we ended up an extra spot back because of Jokers Grin who we had to wait to move before we could come up the rail.

“By that stage they had at least a three-length head start so mathematically when you get beat half a length you automatically think you should have won. Pikey thought we should have won.

“He was fantastic, he proved that he was up to that level and if the breaks had gone his way it could have been a different result.”

Rey Magnerio will stick around in Perth to contest the $1.5 million Group 3 Gold Rush on Day 5 of The Pinnacles on December 13.

The winner of nine career starts has never raced beyond 1200m and although there is an element of uncertainty, Griffiths says the Testa Rossa side of his breeding through dam Luchardo will certainly help his cause.

“I don’t know is the answer, but I’m confident that he’s got enough race experience to relax in a nice position,” Griffiths added.

“He’s got such a great sprint, as we’ve seen on Saturday against top-class horses, that if he does run the 1400m he’s going to take a power of beating.

“The tempo is going to be a lot slower in a 14 so he can pause for a longer period of time then zip up and there’s not many horses with his turn of speed.

“He’s out of a Testa Rossa mare and Testa Rossa being such a good seven-furlong/miler himself will help us out a lot.

“I think he’ll run the distance and I think he’ll be very hard to beat.”

Griffiths said Pike has first option to ride Rey Magnerio but his decision will be made at a later date given he could partner one of five Grant and Alana Williams runners who have been nominated, including last-start Railway winner Watch Me Rock and reigning Gold Rush victor Western Empire.

“He’s certainly welcome to ride Rey, and we’d love him on, but that’s up to him now,” the trainer said.

Rey Magnerio is currently rated a $5 chance with Sportsbet for the Gold Rush.

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