No one knows Magnus’ progeny like Robbie Griffiths, and it’s this knowledge that gives the Cranbourne trainer confidence in Rey Magnerio’s potential to step up as a Group 1 sprinter.

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

This 1100-metre race will mark Rey Magnerio’s 18th start, and Griffiths believes it’s the ideal prep for him to evolve into a 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 got better with age and he’s evidence of that,” Griffiths said.

“It’ll be no surprise to see him come up a cog but he has to because we’re looking at the two best handicap sprints we have – the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket – so you want to be on your game.”

Magnus, a son of Flying Spur, has been at stud since 2008 and has sired over 2000 winners, who have earned more than $90 million in prizemoney.

Griffiths has trained 84 of those winners, more than any other trainer of Magnus progeny.

Rey Magnerio has contributed seven wins, with only three occasions where he didn’t place, including a second in the $1 million The Meteorite last November.

The Rubiton Stakes will kick off his campaign, with sights set on the $1.5m Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8, likely with a stop in the Oakleigh Plate.

“He’s smack-on for a return, he’s not 100 percent, because we want to be 100 percent on Newmarket day,” Griffiths said.

Rey Magnerio will be ridden by Jye McNeil in the Rubiton, starting from the outside gate with a nine-runner field following Airman’s early scratching.