Local racing loses Terry Lee

Prominent horse owner and popular racing identity Terry Lee, or more affectionately known as Dato in racing circles, died at the age of 86 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning.

His family reported that he “went peacefully in his sleep” after a short illness.

The Singaporean liquor trading businessman is well known across both sides of the Causeway as a horse owner under his Fairdeal Stable banner, or under his own name, and often in association with other partners.

Since the late 80s, his yellow-and-green diagonal stripes have been carried to many victories by the likes of Par Excellence, Beyond Expectation, who is still the holder of the 23-year-old 2,400m record, Bocelli, Saddle Up, and more recently, Distinctive Darci.

His biggest accolades include two Singapore Derbies with Par Excellence (1999) and Bocelli (2001), three Queen Elizabeth II Cups with A Class Above II (1998), Beyond Expectation (1999) and Bocelli (2001), and the Tunku Gold Cup with Saddle Up (2001).

He enjoyed successes with a variety of trainers, but mainly Malcolm Thwaites, Paddy Busuttin and, more recently, Mark Walker and Donna Logan. 

The Malaysian permanent resident also raced horses up north with Richard Lines and Kevin Coetzee.

Lee’s last runner in Singapore was the Steven Burridge-trained Street Cry Success, who, however, ran last in the Class 3 race over the Polytrack mile last Sunday.

Besides Street Cry Success, he also has Speedy Missile and a newcomer, Winning Stride, with Logan at Kranji, and four horses in Malaysia, including his 2018 Group 2 Merlion Trophy (his last silverware at Kranji) winner, the evergreen Distinctive Darci with Lines.

Daughter Theresa, who was often seen with her father at Kranji, said the Fairdeal name will live on, as a homage to Lee’s consuming passion for horse racing.

“I’ve never seen anyone as passionate about racing than my dad,” she said. “He never missed a race, whether it was the club or on TV, be it in Singapore or Malaysia. Even when he was in hospital for two weeks, he still watched the racing channel.

“We would talk about racing over breakfast, lunch and dinner. He really lived and breathed racing.

“He became a horse owner in the late 80s as it brought him and me so much joy. He stopped for a short period of time, but has had horses until now.

“He got into racing not for the fame and glory, but just the passion and the sheer thrill of seeing his colours win.

“My three siblings were very generous in deciding we will continue his horse ownership for as long as we can.”

Lee, who was also a Perak Turf Club committee member, may be better remembered by the latest generation as an owner, but he actually wore a lot more hats.

“Since 1960, my dad worked at the MRA (Malayan Racing Association) as assistant stipe, then a handicapper, judge, starter. But his favourite job was that of race commentator,” said Theresa Lee.

“He was also a racing columnist in a Malaysian newspaper. 

“But what people will remember him mostly is his heart. Because he understood the game so well, he always fought for trainers and jockeys, helped them with their licences or gave jockeys a fairer hearing in inquiries.

“It’s also a place where he met many good friends like Dato Tan Chin Nam and former Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, who together raced Melbourne Cup winner Think Big. 

“He said the people in racing were so wonderful to him.”

Burridge said he was in shock when Theresa Lee called him to give him the sad news.

“It’s terrible. We knew Dato Terry Lee hasn’t looked very well lately, but he has kept hanging in,” said the Australian trainer.

“He was a sincere guy who always wanted to win, see his horses do their best. We’ll miss him.”

The funeral will take place in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, preceded by a small private church service for family members only. 

Lee leaves behind his first wife, his current wife, two sons and two daughters, one daughter-in-law and four grandchildren.