Group 1 Paws of Thunder renamed Paul Wheeler Simply The Best
The NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners, and Trainers Association (GBOTA) has revealed that the Group 1 Paws of Thunder race will now be known as The Paul Wheeler Simply The Best race.
The premier feature Wentworth Park race has been renamed in memory of Paul Wheeler, the legendary NSW owner and breeder.
The race has also been rescheduled from its late January slot to December.
Wheeler, who passed away in 2021, was a trailblazer in the field who significantly influenced NSW greyhound racing’s growth and professionalisation.
GBOTA CEO Daniel Weizman said that renaming the Paws Of Thunder is a homage to one of the industry’s most innovative minds.
“This is a fitting tribute to one of the industry’s great innovators,” Weizman said.
“The GBOTA is proud to recognise the contribution of Paul Wheeler, and the renaming of the Ladbrokes Paws of Thunder is a lasting tribute and acknowledgement of the legacy of one of the greats in the greyhound racing industry.
“Paul Wheeler was a straight shooter who was vocal in criticising decisions with which he disagreed but also open to praising them when he saw their merit.
“Paul was at the forefront of the fight to save the industry when then Premier Mike Baird tried to ban greyhound racing in NSW.
Being part of the campaign to save the greyhound industry is one of his crowning achievements,” Mr Weizman said.
The 2024 Group 1 Paul Wheeler Simply The Best final is scheduled for December 21, 2024, at Wentworth Park, with heats set to take place the week prior.
The club plans to make the race part of an “NSW GBOTA Christmas Family Extravaganza” celebrating the community and capping off the 2024 year of greyhound racing.