{"id":183551,"date":"2025-12-14T16:44:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T16:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/183551\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T16:44:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T16:44:17","slug":"rey-magnerio-reigns-supreme-in-gold-rush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/183551\/","title":{"rendered":"Rey Magnerio reigns supreme in Gold Rush"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trainer Robbie Griffiths is already plotting another WA raid after his top sprinter Rey Magnerio<\/a> annexed the Group 3 The Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Griffiths had aimed the six-year-old son of Magnus at the recent Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes where he finished a close up third behind Libertad and Overpass<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But after coming through the run in splendid order, Griffiths elected to extend his time in WA for an extra fortnight, paying the late entry fee to contest the $1.5m The Gold Rush.<\/p>\n

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And the prolific winner justified the decision, landing the Group 3 feature at his first foray to the 1400m journey.<\/p>\n

“What a horse he is,” Griffiths said.<\/p>\n

“He’s just so much fun for all of us that are involved in him. His Winterbottom run, Willie (Pike) thought he was a bit unlucky and we waited to see how he came through that run before deciding on this race.<\/p>\n

“But honestly it was an easy decision to make because the next morning he was bouncing around and felt great.<\/p>\n

“He’s thriving in the WA climate and he’s only had the four runs this preparation so he’s still very fresh.”<\/p>\n

The Goldrush I Rey Magnerio<\/p>\n

Rey Magnerio you star \ud83c\udf1f The Victorian gelding has hunted down Overpass to secure 2025 THE GOLD RUSH \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfaCh. 78\/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app pic.twitter.com\/mYrATfa7N5<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Racing.com (@Racing) December 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

In a memorable finish, Rey Magnerio got the better of a tearaway Overpass late while Cosmic Crusader<\/a>, dropping back in journey from last week’s Group 1 Northerly Stakes win, was charging home down the outside.<\/p>\n

Rey Magnerio scored by a long neck on the line while Cosmic Crusader finished second, a nose ahead of Overpass.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of the win, Griffiths was quick to put next year’s The Quokka on the agenda, run and won over 1200m at Ascot.<\/p>\n

“Yes, we’ll be back for sure,” the trainer said.<\/p>\n

“He’s really taken to being over here so that’s a race definitely on the agenda.<\/p>\n

“Just really proud of the horse. He deserved that.”<\/p>\n

Rey Magnerio handed champion hoop Willie Pike<\/a> a fourth win in The Gold Rush, declaring he learnt a lot about him in the Winterbottom.<\/p>\n

“I think he waited a bit in the Winterbottom and there was a bit more that I could dip into today,” Pike said.<\/p>\n

“So I took that into today and we got the chocolates.”<\/p>\n

The win capped off a red-letter day for Pike who steered home four winners on the program.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0<\/p>\n