Tributes paid to racing stalwart and journalist Tom O'Ryan

Tom, who was a former jockey, racing correspondent for The Press and sister paper The Gazette and Herald, was also a presenter on Racing UK.

He died following a short illness.

Malton racehorse trainer Richard Fahey said he had been asked by Tom's family to share the news of his passing, and took to social media to pay tribute.

He said: "Devastated to say that Tom O'Ryan passed away earlier today. Can't say how much we will all miss him. We've lost the voice of the north.

"Tom was an incredible horseman & brilliant writer. Racing is a poorer sport without him in it."

Alec Russell took up racing photography in the early 1970s, and accompanied Tom to many race meetings while he was an apprentice jockey, and said he was "absolutely staggered" to hear of Tom's death.

Mr Russell said: "He said on his Twitter profile he was a 'Jack of all trades, master of precisely none', but that's absolute rubbish. He was very good at whatever he did.

"He was a really great guy and did so much for young people in racing, teaching young jockeys. He became a journalist full time and got awards for that, and he was just easy to get on with. Just an ordinary bloke, that's why he was quite successful on television, he didn't come across as a know it all, just an ordinary bloke."

More tributes were paid throughout Wednesday.

Mr Fahey said: “He’s the brother of my assistant Robin and we wouldn’t have had the success we’ve had without either of them. Tom has been a great friend and someone who I could rely and trust.

"He was a fantastic horseman with an incredible knowledge of racing. I can’t measure the amount of support he’s given to my young staff, especially those wanting to start a career as a jockey. 

“We have been overwhelmed by messages of support and the one word that keeps coming up is gentleman because that’s exactly what Tom was. Everyone liked Tom, there isn’t a jockey or trainer that would refuse to give him an interview. He was always fair.

"Tom did so much for northern racing and we have lost the ‘voice of the north’ and our sport is poorer for it. All of our thoughts are with Tom’s wife Wendy, his brother Robin and the rest of his family. We will miss him dearly.”

Perry Austin-Clarke, editor of The Press, said: “I’ve known Tom as a writer for our newspapers since I first became editor of the Gazette & Herald in 1988 and his contribution to our sports pages since that time has been immense.

"His in-depth knowledge and understanding of the racing scene, and particularly that in York, Ryedale and North Yorkshire was legendary. His loss is a huge blow to our newspapers and, more importantly, to race fans across the district. Our very deepest sympathies are with his family at this sad time.”
Mike Cattermole, racing presenter and a friend of Tom, said: “ Tom was a man who we all massively respected and he was as much admired and respected in the weighing room as he was in the press room, which was quite a rare thing, I think.

“He was a very special guy, and a huge figure on the northern racing scene. I used to really enjoy his company. He was also undoubtedly a gifted writer, a wordsmith too, I always enjoyed reading his stuff.”

James Brennan, marketing manager at York Racecourse, said Tom’s death was “far too soon for a man who gave so much to Yorkshire racing and to those around him”.

He said: “Tom was a man of many talents and these were displayed in his roles as jockey, journalist, broadcaster, analyst and this season at York, as our raceday announcer. For many jockeys he was a great mentor.

“From a York Racecourse perspective, all the participants in the Macmillan Ride of Their Lives Race benefitted from the support and guidance that he offered to them. He gave freely of his time offering both technical and practical advice that saw each rider give of their best and most importantly return safe, thereby securing their fund raising. So it is a cruel irony that he himself, was only able to draw down the support of Macmillan for such a brief time.

“His good humour and clever turn of phrase enriched newspaper articles, racing broadcasts and so many lunches, dinners and indeed eulogies that it is hard to contemplate such events without him.”

Tom is survived by his wife Wendy and brother Robin.