Tail Wag Lives Up To The Hype

AS Rose Honey dashed to victory early this year in the time-honoured Vince Curry Maiden final, breeder and owner Tony Apap just shook his head.

That ages old line about having one at home lengths better is certainly true.

Rose Honey (Fear Zafonic-Wag Tail) took the starring role at the time but the Apap family knew only too well her litter brother Tail Wag was something special.

But it has taken the dog almost six months to prove it to everyone else.

Tail Wag ran 29.94 when winning a 520m Novice at Albion Park on Thursday night scoring by almost six lengths over Peta Gledhill and Uno Uno.

The $1.80 favourite, it was Tail Wag's first start for two months.

“He is six or eight lengths better than Rose Honey,” said Tony Apap.

“But things have worked against him right from the start.”

Tail Wag was badly interfered with in a heat of the Vince Curry back in February but won his maiden at Albion Park at his next start.

“He got cleaned up in the catching pen after that race and it put him out for a couple of months,” said Apap.

“Then he hurt a hock. It's been a series of niggling injuries all along. He's a big dog and it takes time for him to come right again.”

This time in Tail Wag has been “scorching” said Apap.

“Everyone saw the trials and that is why he was $1.80 favourite,” he said.

Tail Wag was the first of a winning double, the Apap's grand campaigner Bubble Guppy (Collision-Brook Lee) running 29.95 to win a Best 8 (520m) later in the night.

He downed Neeky's Way and Smart Marlow for his 24th victory in 74 starts. He has earned $150,000 in stakes.

“He is a marvel,” said Apap. “Every week he pulls up 100 percent. He loves racing and is going as good as ever.

“I just can't wait to breed a litter by him. He ticks all the boxes, temperament, chase and soundness. He's been placed twice at Group 1 level and holds the 431m track record at Ipswich. And you could not get a better bred dog.”

Bubble Guppy will continue to race while he is in such great form and Apap says the dog will be the judge for the end of his career.