Duryea Family Mourn Death of Stacey Lee

Mark Smith - Wednesday January 18

The mare that gave the Duryea family ‘greatest gifts and life-changing moments’ died on December 20.

Geoff Duryea revealed the sad news of the death of the Bel Esprit mare Stacey Lee on Twitter.

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At Randwick last October, the Duryea family were revelling in the success of Stacey Lee’s prodigiously talented, if somewhat injury-prone, son Front Page in the $2,000,000 The Kosciuszko at Randwick.

The handsome chestnut son of Magnus has banked $1,346,925 from six wins and three seconds from 15 starts and includes a near three-length romp in the Listed VRC AR Creswick Stakes at Flemington as a 3yo.

No catching Front Page in Cresswick Stakes (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

Front Page is a year older brother to the highly-talented  News Girl. The winner of five and placed in four of her 18 starts with earnings of $339,800, News Girl finished second in the Group III Kevin Hayes Stakes and was nosed out by Sylvia’s Mother in the Listed  Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield after winning her two previous starts on the track.

Stacey Lee has an unraced 3yo Dundeel filly named Deeling Aces, a $220,000 purchase for Wilde Racing Pty Ltd / Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Riversdale draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Geoff Duryea is training Stacey Lee’s 2yo Rubick filly Group Chat.

Paul Duryea and Partners sold News Girl to Two Bays Farm for $375,000 at the 2021 Inglis September (Early) Online Sale.

Geoff Duryea purchased Stacey Lee for $20,000 out of the Baerami Thoroughbreds draft at the 2009 Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale.

It proved money well spent as the daughter of the Varick mare Curio Jade, who placed in the Group 1 Queensland Classic and Listed Doomben Slipper, won five of her 20 starts while banking $73,257.

The last foal of Stacey Lee is a sister to Front Page and News Girl, which was foaled on September 18.

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