Big wet threatens Dutchy's Angel double at Kilcoy

By Glenn Davis

Group 1-winning trainer Shaun Dwyer is holding on to a slim hope the Kilcoy meeting on Tuesday will proceed as lightly raced five-year-old Dutchy’s Angel chases back-to-back wins at the track.

With 80mm of rain falling at the track in the past few days, Kilcoy is rated a Heavy 10 as of Monday morning and the prospect of the meeting proceeding is in doubt.

However, Dwyer has a back-up plan to run Dutchy’s Angel at Ipswich on Friday, should the meeting be washed out.

Dutchy’s Angel showed her liking for wet tracks winning her maiden on a Soft 5 at Kilcoy on October 14.

The daughter of Dutch Harry has only started three times, after a bleeding attack early in her career, and will again be ridden by Matthew Powell in the Benchmark 58 Handicap over 800 metres if the meeting proceeds.

“She’s pretty fast and if she jumps, she’ll be hard to beat again,” Dwyer said.

“She missed the start when she ran second at Gatton and she ran second again at Warwick before she came back from a break to win at Kilcoy last start.”

Dutchy’s Angel is the last foal of Dutch Harry, who Dwyer trained throughout his 24-start career.

“I had a bit of success and won a bit of money with Dutch Harry, who won a Magic Millions consolation as a two-year-old and a Tatt’s Mile,” Dwyer said.

“Dutchy’s Angel was the last foal of Dutch Harry, who died a few years ago, after serving a few polo cross mares at Deepwater in NSW.

“She never started racing until she was a four-year-old as she was a bit of a puller early on.

“She’s very quick.

"In her first jump out over 400 metres she got beaten one length after missing the jump by 10 lengths.”

Dwyer has endured a frustrating run since he returned from Victoria in June last year.

He enjoyed great success with the likes of Group 1 winner Regimental Gal when based in Queensland and during a 13 year stint in Victoria with Miss Leonidas and Villa Verde.

Dwyer broke a nine month drought when Last Chance gave him his first win back in Queensland at Doomben in April.

“We’ve been ticking over okay but from my last 23 starters I’ve had three wins, five seconds and seven thirds,” he said.

“When we came back to Queensland, the first six months was like a continuing funeral."