The Old Marvel Munhamek Strikes in Winter Championship Series Final

Mark Smith - Saturday July 6

Munhamek (GB) made it three wins on the bounce when he gave his rivals weight, travelled three-wide, and still proved a class above in Saturday’s $200,000 Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington.

He is an old marvel (image Racing Photos)

Ridden by Jamie Mott for Nick Ryan, the 8-year-old son of Dark Angel hit the front inside the 300m and kept up a relentless gallop to defeat Lounge Bar Rubi (Rubick) by one and three-quarter lengths with Green Fly (Frankel) back in third.

Advertisement

The centre of an emotional win for Damien Oliver in the Group III WATC Gold Rush at Ascot in December, Munhamek (GB) advances his record to 13 wins, nine seconds, and eight third from 62 starts with earnings of $2,554,030.

“He didn’t have any favours in the run, and they were running along,” Ryan said.

“There is no doubt he has gone to another level. The more we give him, the more he keeps raising the bar. He has taken everyone on a pretty good journey. He has been in work for 16 months and has taught me plenty.”

Munhamek with his fan club (image Racing Photos)

  Munhamek (GB) won three of thirty starts in Hong Kong when trained by David Hall and Casper Fownes, and when trained by Ivan Furtado, he was a winner of two and runner-up in two of his four starts in England.

Bred by Shadwell Estate, Munhamek (GB) is the best of four winners from six to race for the Dansili mare Cadenza, a half-sister to Group III winner and Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas third Kandidate (Kabool), and Group III winner Star Valley (Starborough).

Advertisment

Race Result - VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final LR 1600m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:35.65
1
Munhamek
- 8g Dark Angel (IRE) x Cadenza (FR) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: Nick Ryan Rdr: J Mott 60.5
2
1.8
Lounge Bar Rubi
- 4g Rubick (AUS) x A Quiet Shandy (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: Ms L J Meech 54
3
2.5
Green Fly
- 5g Frankel (GB) x Via Pisa (FR) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Jye McNeil 54
4
2.5
King Magnus
- 8g Magnus (AUS) x Influential Miss (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 58
5
2.9
Galeron
- 4g Camacho (GB) x Society Gal (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: B Mc Dougall 54.5
6
3.4
Windstorm
- 7g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Storm Alert (AUS) (Metal Storm (FR))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Beau Mertens 54
7
4.2
Duke De Sessa
- 5g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Dark Crusader (IRE) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: John Allen 58.5
8
4.3
Pounding
- 5g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Silent Entrance (GB) (Beat Hollow (GB))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: L Nolen 56.5
9
12.3
Sibaaq
- 6g Dark Angel (IRE) x Maid To Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Celine Gaudray 54.5
10
14.5
Le Ferrari
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Hai Lil (AUS) (Churchill Downs (AUS))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: D Moor 54
11
19.5
Flash Flood
- 6g Night Of Thunder (IRE) x Giuditta (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Carleen Hefel 54
12
27.5
Too Close the Sun
- 8g Carlton House (USA) x Old Money (AUS) (Old Spice (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55.5
More Reading...
Not This Time 2026 Fee Surges to US$250,000
When Widden Stud announced they would be shuttling Group I winning sprinter Cogburn (USA) to Australia this spring there were many Australian breeders who had to start doing some homework on his sire Not This Time.
Munhamek Dominates in Spear Chief
There is little argument that Nick Ryan is a rising star in the trainer ranks, and he has rejuvenated the career of the 7yo Dark Angel gelding Munhamek (GB), who earned a maiden stakes win in the Listed Nuturf Spear Chief Hcp (1500m) at Eagle Farm.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 15
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Verni Wins G3 Coongy Cup
The late Wootton Basset was one of those stallions whose progeny can excel over all distances and we saw a taste of it at Caulfield on Wednesday when his French bred five year-old Wootton Verni (Fr) won the $240,000 Group III MRC Coongy Cup (2000m).
Facile Victory By Ole Kirk’s Regal Award At Caulfield
Breaking his maiden in style two starts back over 1300m at Sandown, the Phillip Stokes trained Ole Kirk gelding Regal Award appreciated the 1600m on Wednesday at Caulfield, pulling clear to win the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Handicap by seven and a half lengths.
Mr Mozart First Foals Impress at Highview Stud
Young Snitzel stallion Sword of State kicked off his stud career in the best way possible on Wednesday with an Aussie 2YO stakes-winner in Torture, but he’s not the only well credentialed son of Snitzel in New Zealand with Highview Stud home to Mr Mozart.
800k Night of Thunder Colt Stars - Record-Breaking Tattersalls October Book 2 Concludes
Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale concluded with new benchmarks set for turnover and median. The sale aggregate of 70,124,500 guineas was well clear of the wide-margin record set in 2024, and the median of 76,000 guineas was a 9% increase on the previous year’s record equalling figure. The sale clearance rate was an excellent 92%.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 The Everest
The moment has arrived! And what a journey it has been to The TAB Everest eve of 2025 - Official G1 status secured, 20 million bucks up for grabs, the fastest horse on the planet flown in and TV coverage going global - it's all happening!
First SW for Sword of State - Torture Wins Debutant
Trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes have unleashed another promising juvenile when two-year-old filly Torture proved too good for her rivals on debut in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield providing a dream result for Cambridge Stud based first season sire Sword of State.
Too Darn Hot Filly Chasing Guineas Start
Stablemates Oratia Beauty and Geneva will have opportunities to book their passages south when they step out at Ellerslie on Saturday.