As he has now done for the past three seasons, the Robbie Griffiths trained Magnus gelding Rey Magnerio has secured black type during the Flemington carnival, winning the $200,000 Listed VRC Century Stakes (1000m) on Oaks Day.
Having raced twice during the 2024 carnival where he finished a narrow at G3 level on Derby Day before winning at Listed level on the final day of the carnival, he then returned in 2025 to finish third in the Listed VRC Century Stakes, before going two places better this year to win the same race.
Sent off favourite in the final race of the day, jockey William Pike jumped the gelding away from barrier 2 before allowing him to drift back across the field to last, closest to the outside rail.
With I’m Foxing taking up the running, the well fancied Bev’s Nine was getting a good run in second with last year’s winner Stokke tracking along in third ready to pounce.
Passing the 200m mark, I’m Foxing was clear with Rey Magnerio still last as Pike was starting to urge him along.
Darting through the field late was the Rosemont Stud colour-bearer Perilous Fighter at 100/1, but he was unable to hold out the late burst of Rey Magnerio with the 7yo getting up in a photo finish to end the day.
Never count him out ?? From the back of the field, REY MAGNERIO storms home to claim the G.H. Mumm Century Stakes and close out Crown Oaks Day in style. #OaksDay https://t.co/HnFO1JdCpL
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2026
“He's an incredible horse,” enthused Griffiths post-race. “The turn of speed he has at the end of the race is absolutely outstanding because he was, to come back from 1200 to the 1000 and give him them a head start the way he does on a day that it's hard to make ground, he was something special on that day.”
Wanting solid ground, Griffiths made the decision after chatting to track manager Liam O’Keefe that racing on Oaks Day would give him the ideal surface, rather than a possible wet track in the Champions Sprint where he would take on the best.
“I have faith in him, and I've got to thank Liam O'Keefe because I had a good discussion with him yesterday and this morning because our horse needs solid ground.
“He said the track's going to be great. He said that I think on Saturday you're going to be in a lot of trouble with the weather forecast. That made the decision very easy then to come here, you can’t take on the best of the best if you don't get conditions to suit.
“Whereas today he was the class horse of the race and there was only one concern, about the thousand. But Pikey got into the outside and let him unleash and I think Pikey beat him across the line, he was trying to keep his record intact, Pikey in the last, I think Rey Magnerio ran second to Pikey in front.”
Set to head West, as he did last year, Griffiths is heading over with confidence once again.
“He was always going to WA for the Winterbottom. So, whether he ran today or Saturday he was always going to the Winterbottom, into the Gold Rush and in many ways today is a better lead up for him.
“We ran in this race last year as a lead up because instead of taking on Tempted and the superstars, although he's had a solid run it's easier to pull up a solid run from a 1000 than it is the extra 200 metres. So, we're very happy and we're looking forward to WA.”
Ridden by William Pike, the star jockey was a little concerned in the run.
“He didn’t travel at all,” said Pike. “I didn’t intend to be last, and he wasn’t really awake underneath me, big Rey.
“I (had to) get after him a lot earlier than I’d liked but we had mountains of time. He did it well. Once we secured that run on the outside, he pinned his ears and had a crack.
“He’s very quirky but that is what gives him his attitude and he bounces around. Doesn’t go in too many straight lines, pulling up left and right, but you know if he gets that run he likes, you know he’s competitive.”
Knowing the horse well, Pike indicated that he has his intricacies.
“He's a unique horse, he's a good horse, but he just kind of does whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
“So I was out the back, I was struggling to keep up and I was starting to get the doom and gloom stories ready and wondering what might happen, but then he said, okay, we'll go now and to pick him up from there was a very nice effort.
“You leave him alone, and then he wants to go and you can't stop him. Last couple he's actually been very casual, and you think twice about giving him a bit of a push because he can grab the bridle, but obviously not today.
“But at the same time it was good, I was able to get to the outside where I wanted to be. I do feel like horses, I don't know whether it's actually the going or whether horses like to follow a rail, the outside rail is in their eye line and I think it helps them find the line.”
Like he did last year, Rey Magnerio will head over the lucrative Ascot summer carnival where he will target the G1 Winterbottom Stakes, a race he finished third in last year, before aiming to win consecutive running’s of the G3 The Gold Rush – a race he defeated this year’s G1 WS Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader (NZ) in.
Taking his record to eleven wins and ten placed efforts from 31 starts with earnings of $2,859,300, the G1 Oakleigh placegetter was bred by South Australia’s A & J Nitschke.
Rey Magnerio is the best of two winners from four to race for the Testa Rossa mare Luchardo, herself a sister to stakes-placed Red For Lou, the dam of Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Le Chef, a half-sister to G3 winner Magnapal and also to the dam of Listed winner Magnaspin.
Luchardo has an unnamed 2yo colt by Shamus Award, a yearling filly Widden Stud’s Zousain and is due to foal this season to Toronado (IRE).
Rey Magnerio is one of 34 stakes winners for the late Widden Stud stallion Magnus, who died in 2023.
