The legendary Paul Wheeler with a very handsome Fernando Bale pup.
Paul Wheeler was more than a breeder – he was the architect of modern Australian greyhound racing, a man whose vision and innovation elevated the sport across state lines, from the bustling tracks of NSW to the prestigious features of Victoria.
Born into the industry in 1955, Wheeler grew up immersed in greyhounds, assisting his father Allen on the family property. Allen laid the foundation with stars like Winifred Bale (NSW Greyhound of the Year 1982-83) and Steelflex (the only dog to win the National Derby twice). But it was Paul who took the operation to unparalleled heights.
After Allen’s passing, he established a world-class 1,200-hectare facility at Murringo, near Young in NSW, capable of rearing up to 550 pups at a time. He pioneered the importation of US bloodlines and frozen semen, revolutionising breeding and creating the iconic Bale, Dyna, and Allen prefixes that became synonymous with excellence. Wheeler’s impact transcended NSW borders, profoundly shaping Victorian greyhound racing – often described as the spiritual home of Australia’s biggest features.
Although based in rural NSW, his dogs dominated Sandown Park and The Meadows, forging deep connections with Victorian trainers. His crowning achievements were breeding and owning four Melbourne Cup winners: Kantarn Bale (1999), Dyna Tron (2011), Dyna Villa (2014), and Dyna Double One (2015). The 2011 edition stands as perhaps his masterpiece – Wheeler bred and owned the first seven placegetters, an unmatched feat hailed as the greatest single achievement by any breeder.
Among his legends were the “million-dollar trio” that redefined stakes-earning: Fanta Bale (Australia’s highest earner with $1.366 million, nine Group 1s including the Australian Cup and a remarkable versatility from sprint to staying distances), Fernando Bale (35 wins from 44 starts, $1.3 million, arguably the greatest sprinter ever with explosive early speed, and now the nation’s leading sire whose progeny continue to shatter records), and Dyna Double One ($1.16 million, delivering an epic 2015 Melbourne Cup victory over kennelmate Fernando Bale in a thrilling Wheeler-bred quinella).
Other stars included Xylia Allen (versatile powerhouse with $744,000 earnings) and Barcia Bale (another prolific sire). Wheeler’s generosity extended to sharing knowledge with trainers nationwide, best illustrated by the heartfelt tributes from connections in this very final.
Dubbo-based Shayne Stiff (NSW), speaking extensively post-heat for Sooty Keeping, revealed Wheeler’s personal mentorship: “You’d love to have a kennel full of her, wouldn’t you? She’s got a heart as big as herself, and she just chases and goes; she’s a great bitch. She might have lost a little bit of that speed… but she’s got a big heart, she always chases, always gives 100%… It’s a great field, and what a great race to win named after a great man.”
Stiff delved deeper into their friendship: “He was a good friend of mine, often a lot of phone calls, a lot of my breeding, Charmaine’s breeding, a lot of our bitches, early on the piece I’d ring Paul a fair bit. So he’s got a fair bit to do with how we set our property up, and the bloke was a genius, and you can’t go wrong doing what he’d done.”
On Sooty’s beginnings: “Early on in her career, Charmaine would say you didn’t know what you were going to get when the boxes open… Not really [improved]. She can jump, you know, but she is still hit and miss in the boxes, but we’ve come to do that. She’s won plenty of big races now, missing the kick and plenty of leading, so it is what it is.”
Victorian trainer Mark Delbridge, with outsider Croydon drawn wide, highlighted the emotional weight of the occasion, especially for his wife Lisa Delbridge, who trains the talented pup: “It’s Lisa’s first winner at Wentworth Park, so she’ll be happy… Considering the dog’s never been here, he can only improve… And being simply the best Paul Wheeler evening, it’s special.
“We did make the final last year, but it didn’t work out… It’s good to be in the race for sure.”
Delbridge’s words underscore how competing in a race bearing Wheeler’s name – on an evening dedicated to his memory – carries profound significance, especially for interstate participants who benefited from his Victorian conquests. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 (joining his father as the only father-son duo), Wheeler’s sudden passing in October 2021 at 66 shocked the industry. Yet his bloodlines endure, dominating features years later.
In 2024, the NSW GBOTA honoured him by renaming the historic Paws of Thunder to the Paul Wheeler Simply The Best – a $75,000 Group 1 520m sprint.
The second edition this Saturday night (December 20, 2025) at iconic Wentworth Park is a poetic tribute, with the field dripping in his legacy. The box draw promises fireworks: Box 1: Sooty Keeping – Inside boxes (1-2): 18 runs, 15 wins. Wentworth Park: 14 starts, 9 wins; PB 29.40.
Box 2: Taormina (direct Fernando Bale daughter) – Inside: 11 runs, 4 wins, 6 seconds. Wentworth Park: 31 starts, 15 wins; PB 29.29.
Ray Dixon: “When she began as she did, I thought she was a big hope, and she dug deep… We will see where we draw, and if she comes out as good as she did tonight, well, she’s a big hope.”
Box 3: Taw Galaxy – Box 3: 4 runs, 1 win. Wentworth Park: 20 starts, 10 wins; PB 29.37.
Andrew ‘Elvis’ Rowe: “He was just absolutely enormous… I was super confident… It would be awesome to finish 2025 with a Group 1… this dog has just grown, and he wants to do it.”
Box 4: Laura Keeping – Middle (4-6): 10 runs, 3 wins. Wentworth Park: 14 starts, 5 wins; PB 29.62.
Box 5: Zipping Ariel – Middle: 11 runs, 3 wins. Wentworth Park: 25 starts, 8 wins; PB 29.44.
Courtney Barnes: “That was a great run… She loves it here, and she’s been improving… She’s a deserving little bitch… got to be in it to win it.”
Box 6: Winsome Jet – Middle: 6 runs, 3 wins. Wentworth Park: 7 starts, 2 wins; PB 29.59.
Box 7: Summer Quinn – Outside (7-8): 8 runs, 2 wins. Wentworth Park: 17 starts, 7 wins; PB 29.49.
Jorja Howard: “She’s been in one before and came second, so hopefully next week, it’ll be a different result… she’s sparked back up… she likes a bit of the chop and change.”
Box 8: Croydon – Outside: 6 runs, 3 wins. Wentworth Park: 1 start, 1 win; PB 29.55.
Reserves include the Wheeler family- connected Paw Oswald. With explosive inside speed and strong finishers poised, whichever triumphs, Paul Wheeler’s cross-state genius will be celebrated anew.
– Tully Potts
Photos Courtesy of Greyhound Racing NSW
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