Dargusch allows himself to dream of Flying Amy moment

By Pat McLeod

For the past week rookie trainer Bailey Dargusch has allowed himself a nightly, dare-to-dream moment – winning the 2025 Group 1 Flying Amy Classic. 

The dream is based on fact.

His continually improving young bitch Midnight Queen will contest one of six heats of the prestigious annual feature at the Q2 Parklands circuit on Saturday night.

However, the reality is Dargusch and his kennel queen face a momentous task to achieve that dream with an avalanche of top quality local and interstate dogs vying for the $150,000-to-the-winner prize.

“Every night I think about just being in the heats, part of this great race,” Dargusch says.

“There is nothing to say that she (Midnight Queen) will even make the Final because she has not drawn well (box eight) and there are so many very good dogs in her heat and across all the heats. But, I do think about winning. It would be very nice.”

Victory for the 18-year-old would be the fairytale highlight of what will be an incredible carnival.

Dargusch only joined the training ranks in November last year, but he and his family (parents Alan and Casey) were already well-known in the industry.

For years the popular youngster has been on-track handling dogs for a host of trainers.

He says the past seven months as an ‘official trainer’ have been amazing and he has ‘loved every minute’.

To date he has trained 11 winners – seven of those coming via Midnight Queen.

In fact, she not only delivered Dargusch his first victory as a trainer, in his first race, but the speedster also handed him his first metropolitan win last Thursday night.

“That win last week was special, but it also convinced me to nominate her for the Flying Amy heats,” he explains.

“I certainly believe she deserves her place in the heats on Saturday night. If I didn't think she was good enough then she wouldn't be there.

“She had a season recently and has come back a more mature, better race dog. She has really lifted her performances. She is racing better than I ever thought she would.

“I always thought that she would be handy, but she has gone to the next level. Whether she makes the Final or not, well that is a different thing, but I would be ecstatic if she did.

“At home she is a lovely dog and does everything that you want. And, it is exactly the same at the track.

“She turned two just a couple of weeks ago, so she has plenty of her racing future still in front of her. Of course she isn't the best dog in this Flying Amy series, but going off her recent form, I am very happy with her.”

Dargusch said the wide barrier on Saturday night for Midnight Queen was an obstacle.

“She is comfortable coming out of the eight, but there is just so much speed inside her,” he said.

“The seven (Miss Sara Jane) is quick early, the one (Cumbria Jack), the two (Colac Kid) and the three (Bush Bouquet) are all quick early.

“And, of course the dog coming out of the six, (Jodie Lord’s Taormina), is the dog to beat. She is a very good dog.”

Dargusch said it will be ‘nerve-wracking’ to be on the same playing field as the elite trainers and dogs on Saturday night. But, at the same time, he is ecstatic.

“When I first started training in November last year my goal and my hopes were to win a couple of maidens by this time,” he said.

“I didn't think I would achieve this level so early in my training career. It is a great feeling.

“I think everybody wants to be at this level and down the track when I have had a few more like her (Midnight Queen), I hope to be more comfortable.

“It is also really good for the whole family. The last six months has been great. We have started to make the bigger races, which has been fantastic.”