The 30-year-old Mowbray father-of-two was killed walking home from the cup on February 27, 2008.

Four years on, mother Vicki Lloyd still dreads this day.

Mrs Lloyd said her son had been at the cup with her daughter and some friends but had walked home alone on Invermay Road, stopping to buy a pizza.

``He was just minding his own business, and walking along the road, and a couple of guys asked him for a piece of pizza and he refused,'' Mrs Lloyd said.

There was an altercation between Mr Dean and other men and he fell and hit his head.

``They are always saying that Marty threw the first punch, but we find that hard to believe,'' Mrs Lloyd said.

``He fell back and hit his head against the wall of a shop, and that was it.''

Neither of the men involved in the incident were charged.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bob Baker, of Launceston CIB, said that Mr Dean's death was a ``terrible tragedy''.

Detective Baker said that the matter was referred at the time to the Director of Public Prosecutions and was the subject of a coronial investigation.

Both concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge either man with manslaughter, grievous bodily harm or Criminal Code assault.

Mrs Lloyd said that it had been hard to accept that charges would not be laid, and difficult to think of the men going about their lives.

``Is it a reminder to them, when Launceston Cup day comes?,'' she said.

``Or is it just another day to them, because it isn't to us.''

She said that she, Mr Dean's wife, Ingrid, and two sons were still dealing with grief.

``It's hard every day. You never get over it, you never learn to live with it,'' Mrs Lloyd said.

``He was just a lovely, loveable man.''

Fifteen thousand people are expected to go to the Launceston Cup today.

Mrs Lloyd urged racegoers not to let the day get out of hand.

``People do silly things when they have had too much to drink,'' she said.

``But it's not worth it. You only get one chance at life.''