TJ went to school at St Mary's in Dubbo, where he frequently wagged school at the tender age of six. Where do you think a 6-year-old would go wagging school? To the Amy Lane stables behind the Western Star with old Bonnie Evans.

He was gone for a week and the nuns went and saw Molly to see when he would be well enough to come back to school. So you could say that horses were TJ's destiny from such an early age.

TJ completed his education at De La Salle boys college at the age of 13 and left home and moved to Trangie and started riding work for Jack McGroder. He rode as an amateur jockey first and had a flying start punching home two winners at Tomingley the first day he put on the silks.

He also rode as a professional jockey with good results but weight was his battle, so he took to horse training and shared the Amy Lane stables with the man who looked after him at six-years-old, Bonnie Evans.

TJ, Tit, Pop or Dick as he was called, met the love of his life, Maudy, in 1960. They courted for a while before getting married and having their two beautiful girls, firstly Narelle and then Ann-Marie who is better known as Possum.

Tommy was a great trainer and one of the best feeders and conditioners of horses I knew. They were always turned out in a picture of health.

Some of his best horses were King Rex, Imacase, Navaisha, Tora Tora Tora, Bresway, China Rug, Taitolio and Taitilla.

Some of the races he won were the Ramournie Handicap at Grafton, the Martin Whiteley Cup at Dubbo as well as the cup races at Parkes, Trangie, Bourke, Cattleman's Cup, the Cotton Cup at Warren, the Coonabarabran, Narromine and Gilgandra cups and the first ever running of the Laurie Craig Memorial at Dubbo.

So you could say we had our own Cup's King in the country.

Tommy was such a gentle natured man who never raised his voice and never had a cross word to say about anyone. He was one of the most generous, authentic, and honourable men I have ever met.

TJ was a father figure, a boss and a friend and one of the best mentors a young aspiring jockey could ever want.

He had a hand in teaching Dar Lunn, Nelson Logue, Chris Whiteley, David Lloyd, Tracey O'Hara, Bobby Elissa, Joe Saiki, Collette Stacey and myself.

Chris Whiteley sent this message: "One of TJ's favourite sayings was that he said to his kids was 'stick to the fence son - it's the shortest way home.' This would teach you to read the play, switch you on so to speak while you were sneaking up the fence. He would make you analyse yourself so you became a better rider."

Chris said that when he rode the Townsville Cup winner (Tora Tora Tora) for TJ, Tommy didn't even see the race because he was watching his grandson playing football. That's typical of Tot because family always came first.

It is these qualities that Tommy instilled in all of us, the love and admiration for family.

Max Hill, Tommy's son-in-law, said Tommy, TJ, was a father figure to him and we have lost a very very special man.

TJ would do anything for him and his family. Tommy was a routine man and used to walk in the front door at 6.45am to wake up his grand kids Kieah and Kaiden for school five days a week.

He would always sing out 'is that you Max' and Max would reply 'Yes Pop, it's me.'

TJ was a freak for saying to anyone 'got a little job for you' and most weeks TJ would say it to Possum and they would head out to the supermarkets and four to five hours later they would come home with all the specials.

He could have people in suits doing boxes. If five people walked into his stables he would have five people doing jobs.

In 2003 Tommy had a double lung transplant and spent nine months in hospital. It was here that friendships were built at St Vincent's Hospital that will last forever.

His family shone through all of this and the rock, his wife Maudy, has been beside him every day. She was his only one and what a gem, 'Group 1' might he say 'one of the best.'

Two years ago his kidneys gave way and he had to do dialyse three times a week every week, but he never complained.

If the mark of a man is judged by who he was for us as individuals, then Thomas William Mulholland was one of the greatest men we will ever know.

Now Tommy we have a little job for you... rest in peace.