Ron McDonell, a former member of the Bart Cummings stable during its golden years, has died after a long illness.

McDonell was the Melbourne foreman for Cummings during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Cummings's Melbourne Cup winners during that time included Think Big and Gold And Black while other horses of that era included Leilani, Big Philou and Century.

He took out his own licence and trained Double Century, which after being first past the post in the AJC Derby in 1979 lost the race on protest to Dulcify, before taking out the Sydney Cup.

In later years, McDonell was a pre-trainer in Warrnambool.

McDonell died on Friday and is survived by his wife Gloria and three children.