Former champion Brisbane apprentice Glen Charles has died after short illness aged 68.

Charles was an accomplished pony club rider and rugby league player in the South Burnett region before joining trainer Ken Lee in Brisbane where he was apprentice school champion in 1969.

Charles's top wins included the Albion Park Cup on My Joker and the QTC Metropolitan on Masalama.

His later career was hampered by a battle with his weight.

Veteran trainer Pat Duff said Charles should be remembered as one of the best apprentices seen in Brisbane.

"Like so many from that era weight was his enemy. It would be interesting to see how he and many others from the era would have gone under today's much higher weight scale," he said.

A memorial service will be held for Charles in Brisbane on Friday.