Mr Fahey died on Monday, just a few days short of his 77th birthday.

Sue van de Ven said her father had been born at Tocumwal and had been introduced to horses at the age of six by industry identity Lou Houghton.

Mrs van de Ven said Mr Houghton delivered bread to Tocumwal households from a cart drawn by his trotters and a young Meggs would climb on board the cart prior to school and then after school tend to the horses.

Mr Fahey had his first race drive on Easter Saturday in 1947 at Barooga and had run third driving a horse called Shieler Doolan.

The following Monday he had won with the same horse at Tocumwal.

“He said that was his best day. He drove Shieler Doolan to a win, climbed aboard another pony who was a galloper and won, and then one hour later took out third place, again with Shieler Doolan,” his daughter said.

In 1951, Mr Fahey married his wife, Rose, and they had three children, Marie, Sue and Leigh.

He was clerk of the course at Cobram and in January, 2004, was given a tribute at the Cobram 50th anniversary meeting with a race named in his honour.

Mrs van de Ven said her father had trained winners on every metropolitan track in Australia and had sold one horse, Welcome Raid, to Lou Houghton, now living in South Australia, where the horse went on to hold track records in that state for many years.

Another, Sam Linden, held the track record at Redcliffe in Queensland.

Mrs van de Ven and her father teamed up with Springer Linden, who won at Shepparton in late 2003 at odds of 103/1.

“He reckoned that was his biggest payday,” she said.

Mr Fahey is survived by his wife Rose, children and five grandchildren.

Mr Fahey’s funeral will be held at Balldale Uniting Church at 3pm tomorrow.