Munsters Magical Momentum

By Darren Clayton

In the zone, eyes on the prize, beast mode, in rare air, got the hot hand- no matter the description- the power of momentum in sport cannot be underestimated.

For the 2026 Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship, no driver will enter the series in hotter form than Cam Hart.

As the name would suggest, Hart will take the reins for the Hart Attack team, one of four new syndicates stepping forward to chase the Ultimate Driver title, along with Marburg Gold, Diamonds and Pearls and The Lion Kings.

If momentum leading into the first night of the UDC is the barometer, it will be Hart that every other team will need to stop.

Heading to Melton across the weekend to take five drives on A G Hunter Cup night, the man they call Munster, was unstoppable, producing a 100% strike rate with wins on all five horses he sat behind.

Included in the haul was a pair of Group 1 wins with a successful defence of the Hunter Cup aboard Swayzee and victory in the Queen of the Pacific with Captains Mistress, with Brooklyn Dan, Hi Manameisjeff and Chase A Dream completing the quintet.

“Perfect I guess,” was how Hart described his night following victory aboard Chase A Dream, his fifth winner on the 10 race card.

It was the sixth time in his career that Hart has driven five winners in a meeting, while he becomes the first driver in history to secure five metropolitan winners at both Melton and Menangle.

“When you sort of sit back and get a quiet time to have a bit of a think about things, and yeah to think back 10 years ago when I first started to drive, that I’d be where I’m at, I wouldn’t believe it,” Hart reflected with Greg Hayes.

Developing an affinity with trainer Jason Grimson and Swayzee, the trio have combined for two Hunter Cups, two New Zealand Cups, a Blacks A Fake and a Victoria Cup alongside a host of other feature races.

“I’ve always got full trust in this horse, he always battles them off.

“He’s got a habit of wanting to stick his head out and keep in front in these long-distance wars.”

Swayzee and Leap To Fame have run the quinella four times in Grand Circuit events, with Hart and Swayzee winning three of those.

While Hart may have a Grand Circuit win at Albion Park to his name, the UDC will be unfamiliar territory for ‘Munster’ who has now won 20 Group 1 races.

Unlike previous trips to The Creek where he has contested Group races and feature events, the Ultimate Driver format and draft will be new territory for Hart.

Breaking new ground is something that Hart has quickly become accustomed to, having won the past five New South Wales Driving premierships, a feat no other driver has achieved this century.

At 26 years old, Hart’s name now joins an elite list of dual Hunter Cup winning drivers that includes quality horseman such as Ant Butt, Luke McCarthy, Chris Alford, Vinnie Knight and Ted Demmler.

While another more unique club will welcome just its second member as Hart emulates Anthony Butt to become just the second driver to have won the Hunter Cup and New Zealand Cup in successive years.

The momentum from Melton will parlay into this Wednesday’s driver draft, with the Hart Attack team securing the number one draft pick for the snake order draft.

Pick one will allow the syndicate to choose any horse across either of the two nights races, and with 200 horses to pick from, there is high expectation that pick one is a guaranteed winner.

Can Munster bring the momentum for Hart Attack, or will their campaign flat-line and be left on the draft room table?