Tom was a good jockey and a commended journalist

I began as a starter for the Jockey Club in the 1970s as Tommy O’Ryan was coming through the ranks, and what I remember most was he was always a calming influence at the start as we loaded the horses into the stalls.

Horses are much more used to going into the stalls these days, but he was very good at controlling the rest of the lads, especially if they were getting anxious.

I knew Tommy very well and he was a dear friend. He was a good jockey who became a highly commended journalist – as I well know as he did a lovely piece on my 50 years in racing in the Racing Post in 2003.