Trainer Robbie Griffiths says his Group 1 hopeful Rey Magnerio has taken enormous benefit from travelling interstate for the first time in his career.

The consistent sprinter lines up in Saturday’s Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot as Griffiths aims to secure the second elite-level win of his training career.

Griffiths famously claimed the 2016 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) with The Quarterback, and he is hopeful Rey Magnerio can add another chapter to his Group 1 résumé.

The gelding has been meticulously prepared for this race, with Griffiths intentionally keeping him to a light Melbourne spring schedule to ensure he peaks in Perth.

The only lingering doubt was how Rey Magnerio would handle the long journey away from his Cranbourne base.

Before this trip, the furthest he had ever travelled was to Echuca for The Discovery in April, despite amassing nine wins from 24 starts.

To reach Perth, Rey Magnerio was floated to Sydney before boarding a chartered flight west.

“He went on the road to Sydney, he travelled fantastic and his first flight on a plane, he travelled well without a hitch,” Griffiths said.

“He settled in over there without a worry and has been loving the warm weather.

“His appetite has been fantastic. He had a good gallop on the course proper last Saturday and did some light work on Tuesday.”

Griffiths flew out to Perth on Thursday, leaving the horse in the capable hands of long-time foreman Reid Balfour, whose reports have been glowing.

“It’s all about keeping him in the right frame of mind,” Griffiths said.

“He had a searching gallop before he got on the plane, he’s had a couple of runs back, a gallop over there, so I don’t think we can have him any better.

“Touch wood, everything looks good and fingers crossed it turns out that way.”

Top Perth jockey William Pike will partner Rey Magnerio on Saturday.

If you’re backing a runner in the Winterbottom Stakes, make sure you compare odds at the best Australian betting sites.