Contact

  • Thursday, 18 Oct, 2018,
  • by Andrew Copley

Back-to-back Fanta Bale re-writes history books at Victorian Greyhound Awards

Fanta Bale has created history by becoming the first greyhound to twice be crowned the Victorian Greyhound of the Year after a stunning 2017/18 racing season.

The award, which Fanta Bale also won last year, was one of many highlights at the Victorian Greyhound Awards at Crown Palladium this evening, with a packed house celebrating many of the outstanding achievements in the sport as well as some of the greats of yesteryear.

Former champion stayer Fanta Bale won seven group races including four Group 1s during the 2017/18 racing season, which encompassed the period of 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.

Bred in NSW and trained in Victoria by Robert Britton, Fanta Bale was also crowned the 2017/18 Victorian Stayer of the Year on the night, while Up Hill Jill was judged the Sprinter of the Year.

An all-time great, Fanta Bale retired in March with an Australian record nine Group 1s and $1,365,175 in prize money. She is also the only Australian greyhound to win at Group 1 level over the sprint, middle and staying distances.

The Victorian Greyhound of the Year, which is voted by a panel, was first awarded in 1973, when won by Lizrene.

In other highlights, legendary trainer Max Wintle and former champion stayer Arvo’s Junior were inducted into GRV’s Hall of Fame.

Administrator Neil Brown received the Ken Carr Medal, considered the highest award for excellence within the Victorian greyhound racing industry, while young breeder trainer Ashlee Terry was presented with the Ned Bryant ‘Silver Fox’ Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in the training, breeding or promotion of greyhound racing.

Andrea Dailly won both the Metropolitan and Provincial Trainer of the Year Awards, while Greyhound Adoption Program foster carer and volunteer, Pam Priestley was presented with the GRV Welfare Award.

[youtube youtubeurl=”R30kjDl_8rk” ][/youtube]

Fanta Bale fact file

August 2014 David Bale x Ucme Typhoon

Sex: Female
Breeder: Paul Wheeler, NSW
Owner: Brendan Wheeler, NSW
Trainer: Robert Britton, Lara VIC
2017/18 season record: 24 starts – 17-5-0
2017/18 season Group wins: G1 National Distance Championship; G1 Bold Trease; G1 Zoom Top; G1 Super Stayers; G2 Summer Distance Plate; G3 Topcat Video Cup; G3 Sydney Cup
2017/18 season Group placings: G1 Sale Cup (2nd); G2 Topgun Stayers (2nd); G2 McKenna Memorial (2nd); G3 Summer Cup (3rd)

Fanta Bale - 2017-2018 Greyhound of the year

Awards presented on the night were…

GRV Hall of Fame: Max Wintle
GRV Hall of Fame: Arvo’s Junior
Ken Carr Medal: Neil Brown
Ned Bryant ‘Silver Fox’ Award: Ashlee Terry
Metropolitan Trainer of the Year: Andrea Dailly
Provincial Trainer of the Year: Andrea Dailly
GRV Welfare Award: Pam Priestley
Victorian Sprinter of the Year: Up Hill Jill
Victorian Stayer of the Year: Fanta Bale
Victorian Greyhound of the Year: Fanta Bale
2014 GOBIS Breeder of the Year: Lenny Jones (awarded retrospectively)

2017-2018 Greyhound of the year

For a comprehensive wrap of all the award winners please click here.

Andrew CopleyAndrew Copley

Andrew Copley

Communications Manager at Greyhound Racing Victoria with 25 years’ experience as a reporter with National Greyhound Form newspaper and GRV. Former Watchdog form analyst. Adopter of celebrity greyhound, Fred Basset. Victorian Greyhound of the Year and Victorian greyhound racing Hall of Fame panel member.

Up Next

Collins hunting Geelong Gold Cup

Dyna Hunter has set the time standard in the 2018 Group 2 Pet Panels Geelong Gold Cup after a sizzling 25.213sec heat win on Friday night.