The Old Marvel Munhamek Strikes in Winter Championship Series Final

Mark Smith - Saturday Jul 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...
Remembering Northerly – The Greatest Caulfield Cup Winner This Century
It's Caulfield Cup week, and what better moment to revisit the life and times of one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Caulfield Cup winner of the modern era.
Darley Announce 2027 European Fees -Night of Thunder Soars to €450,000
It will be Dubawi central at Darley in 2027 with the legendary 24YO sire priced at £350,000, but the roster is topped by his champion son Night of Thunder at €450,000 and there are three more G1 winning sons or grand-sons of Dubawi also added to a power packed roster.
2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
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.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
G1 Aussie Pedigree Watch –Newly Minted
Pedigree does matter if you want to be winning races longer than 1200m, although in an interesting twist a colt bred on face value for speed is in fact from the family of Zabeel.
Super Seth 3YO Leads Waller First Four in $100,000 Super Maiden
The $100,000 Super Maiden (1400m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday delivered a first four for the Chris Waller stable with victory going to the well backed favourite Quarterback, who has a half-brother to be offered at the NZB Ready to Run Sale next week.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 10
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One Last Time - Ollie Goes Out a Winner in Gold Rush
A ride to put the stamp on an incredible career, Damien Oliver scythed between runners from near last on the turn to capture the $1,500,000 Damien Oliver Gold Rush at Ascot on the Nick Ryan-trained Munhamek (GB).