Former trainer Des McGee, a noted master of Brisbane apprentices, has died after a long battle with cancer.

McGee was a jockey in the 1940s but made his name as a small team trainer from the 1950s until he retired five years ago.

He was regarded along similar lines as Sydney's Theo Green for the number of top class apprentices he produced from his Hendra stables in Brisbane.

They included Glen Killen, Carl Symons, Allan Russell, Shane Frankland, Gus Philpot and Andrew Cox.

Killen won a Stradbroke Handicap on Sir Wisp and finished second in the Melbourne Cup on El Laurena, Symons won a Doomben Cup on Les's Choice and Russell had a great association with star galloper Chief De Beers.

"I always made certain my boys could earn a living when they came out of their apprenticeship. That was the thing I drilled into them that they had to make a career for themselves not just be flash in the pans," McGee said in an interview shortly before his death.

Brisbane Race Club racing manager Bart Sinclair paid tribute to McGee as someone who was larger than life.

"He was a real character who had many friends and a wonderful sense of humour," he said.

"Des never had a big team but he had plenty of winners over the years. Of course he will always be remembered for his work with young jockeys."

McGee's funeral details will be released later this week.