Western Australia racing lost one of its pioneers when Sir Ernest Lee-Steere died on Sunday aged 98.

Sir Ernest joined the WATC in 1933 and was Chairman for 21 years from 1963 to 1984.  He bred and raced numerous feature winners from the family’s Hawthornden base at Toodyay and enjoyed something of a revival after transferring his bloodstock operations to Limestone Park at Gingin in the 1970s.

Lee-Steere stood one good stallion after another at Limestone Park.  Ribollire (Ribot) sired Muros, a G1 winner of the Perth and Brisbane Cups in 1977-78.

Tudor Bridge (Tudor Melody) was responsible for Perth favourite Heron Bridge who hijacked the 1984 VRC Newmarket at 33/1.  He was owned by Strick Gardiner, grandfather of AFL footballer Michael Gardiner.

Picture Show (Exclusive Native) sired 1985 WA Derby winner Rant And Rave who was raced by the late Laurie Connell.  He would have also won that year’s Tancred Stakes at Rosehill but for the misfortune of being born in the same year as Kiwi great Bonecrusher.

Cheraw (Caro) was an instant success when imported to Limestone Park in 1985.  He sired Belele and Heroicity and they both carried Sir Ernest’s all red silks to very popular victories in the WA Derby.

Heroicity made amends for Rant And Rave when he won the 1992 Tancred after its name had been changed to the BMW Stakes.

Cheraw also sired John Singleton’s Sydney stakes winner Sunshine Sally.  Legend has it Singo paid over the odds for the filly at the Belmont yearling sales after enjoying Sir Ernest and Lady Jessica’s largesse at the Limestone Park marquee.  

Sir Ernest and Lady Jessica, who died in 2001, were leading lights in the wider Western Australian community.  He was Lord Mayor of Perth from 1972 to 1978 and was Knighted in 1987.

The headquarters of Racing and Wagering WA is named Lee-Steere House and the G3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere 3YO Classic at Ascot bears his name.

Sir Ernest’s love of racing followed his father’s who had been Chairman of the WATC from 1919 to 1940.   Sir Ernest Lee-Steere snr raced champion galloper Eurythmic who won the 1919 WA Derby- Perth Cup double before venturing east where he claimed another 22 stakes races including the Caulfield and Sydney Cups.

“Sir Ernest contributed at all levels and was a revered figure,” Perth Racing chairman Ted van Heemst said this week.  “As an owner, breeder and administrator, Sir Ernest stands on his own.”