Episode 416: Lee & Cherie Curtis

Lee Curtis has been training racehorses in Sydney since the mid 90’s when he was based at Canterbury. He was forced to relocate to Rosehill at the end of the decade when the STC decided to develop the precinct as a quarantine station for overseas horses. Cherie joined his staff twenty years ago from Berry on the South Coast. The couple married in 2015 and became training partners in 2020. We begin the podcast with Lee who explains that he has no intention of increasing the stable numbers. Lee talks about the family training partnership. He says he and Cherie might disagree from time to time but invariably reach the best conclusion. He talks of his continued insistence on relocating horses who are not paying their way. Lee acknowledges the effectiveness of the Inglis Digital twice monthly auction. The Gr 1 winning trainer talks of Dalchini and Achira, two talented mares he’s currently training. He expresses thanks to the two trainers who taught him the basics of horse management. Lee remembers his first training complex- the little backyard operation at Canterbury which housed his first few winners. He looks back on the relocation of Canterbury trainers to other places. Some decided to terminate their training careers. Lee acknowledges some of the handy horses to get him up and running in the early days. He speaks with reverence of the horse who took him to another level as a commercial trainer. Lee actually bred Mistegic, the colt who would compete with distinction against some of the best sprinters of the era. Mistegic provided his first Gr 1 triumph. Lee pays tribute to popular owners Frank and Christine Cook who have given him tremendous support since his move to Rosehill. The Lasqueti Spirit story is a fascinating one, and nobody tells it better than Lee Curtis- the story of the one paced filly who was bred to sprint but finished up winning the historic Victoria Oaks over the Flemington 2500m. Lee says every avenue should be explored before a horse is given its marching orders. He talks of the progress of Lasqueti Spirit’s progeny to date. Most trainers have a story about the “one that got away.” Lee’s story concerns a brilliant mare who retired with a record of twelve wins including three Gr 1’s and $3.4 million in prize money. He put a lot of work into the education and development of Private Steer but trained her for only six runs. Her 3 wins for Curtis included the listed Reginald Allen Hcp Randwick. He’s happy to talk about the biggest disappointment of his training career. Lee talks of his six children whose ages range from 27 down to 3.  He says the elder three are very interested in the racing careers of the horses. Lee hands the phone over to Cherie who says her interest in horses began when her parents dabbled in ownership. She recalls being delighted when her parents purchased a property at Berry which they established as a spelling farm. She was soon surrounded by horses and quickly took to the saddle. Cherie talks of her friendship with a famous Berry family who had enjoyed top level success with thoroughbreds and harness horses. She recalls her move to Sydney and a new job with the Lee Curtis training establishment at Rosehill. Cherie says the combination of her stable commitments and the demands of motherhood make for some pretty hectic days.  It’s a laid back chat with a popular Sydney racing duo.