Hall of Fame inductee and all-round champion Fanta Bale has sadly passed away at the age of 11 after a battle with cancer.

“She was very special to us,” said Brendan Wheeler.

There are very few honours that eluded Fanta Bale, who dominated the racing scene across 2016, 2017, and 2018 – winning Group 1 races over all three distances.

A daughter of the Wheeler family’s 2012 Group 1 Topgun winner David Bale, Fanta Bale was trained by master conditioner Robert Britton.

She carried American bloodlines through her dam Ucme Typhoon, who was purchased by Britton at 13 months of age from the Abilene Greyhound Sale.

“I had a little talk to Paul (Wheeler) and said maybe we should chat when we get home, because I don’t want to breed,” Britton said.

“So, at the end of Ucme Typhoon’s career, she went to Paul, and her three litters came back to me.”

“When Ucme Typhoon came out to Australia, she was only a moderate performer, but she was certainly well bred and she produced an absolute superstar.”

Fanta Bale won 42 of her 63 career starts, finishing unplaced on just six occasions.

“She’s definitely the best race performer I’ve ever had – there’s no doubt about that,” Britton said.

“I’ve always said she was never the fastest dog I’ve had, whether it be over the 500 or 700, but she was the most complete dog I’ve ever had.”