Melbourne Cup Winner Succumbs to Illness

Adam Dobbin12 April 2021

2014 Group 1 Melbourne Cup winner Dyna Villa has sadly passed at nine years of age.

Winner at 27 of his 54 race starts and $754,342 in prizemoney during a decorated career, the son of Collision lost his battle with bone cancer late last week.

"It's been a sad week for myself, the staff as well as the Wheeler family – he was part of the family up here," said Sires On Ice boss Tony Wiseman.

"He was obviously a mighty race dog but I think his performance as a sire has been a little underrated. Given the chances he's had, he's more than held his own.”

It was back in 2014 that Dyna Villa cemented himself in the top echelon of sprinters when defeating Chica Destacada to win the Melbourne Cup in a fast 29.38.

Finishing third in the Group 1 finale at Sandown Park was Keybow – another successful Sires On Ice sire.

For Dyna Villa his Melbourne Cup heroics wasn't his only victory at Group 1 level, also taking out the 2015 Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park.

As a sire Dyna Villa has continued to punch well above his weight throwing in excess of 1000 winners' including a strong ratio at city level.

"It's been only recently people have started taking notice of his results," Wiseman said.

"And even though he's passed on now we'll look forward to watching his progeny continue to win races on the track."