Bamford takes on a fresh challenge

By John Horne · 11 May 2026 · 12:13 pm

Thirty one year old Group One winning Canterbury harness racing trainer Tom Bamford has moved from Rakero Racing to training on his own account.

He’s now based at Tom Bagrie’s property at Ohoka with a small team of young horses.

“It’s good. One chapter closes and the next one opens. You’ve got to take it with both hands. I work for him (Tom) in the morning and he allows me to have my horses there. It seems a pretty smooth transition. He’s got a barn and an 800 metre track and he paddock trains just like I do, so that works out good,” Bamford said.

To add to the changes, Bamford recently married Allie Paterson.

“She’s worked in stables, has been around horses and enjoys them. She works at the Rangiora Vet Centre.”

When Bamford gets his horses to the racetrack, there’ll be no missing his colours.

“I had my grandfather’s colours a while ago which were blue and green hoops. When I worked for Regan Todd, I had a horse there that raced in his colours. I like the American and Aussie style so I kept the blue and green and just designed them up to look like modern day racing colours.”

Tom’s grandfather Neville Bamford was a West Coast hobby trainer who trained five winners. His first was Starship Robyn at Reefton in December 1996.

Bamford’s pathway through harness racing included four years with Regan Todd, two with Geoff Dunn when he was at West Melton, a couple of stints with Phil Burrows and a role as trainer for Rakero Racing.

“You’re always learning from different places and you’re always trying to put them into the way you work.”

He has a solid client base which includes his father Gary.

“Dad and his mates have got a few broodmares.”

Last year Bamford obtained three yearlings at the NZB Standardbred Sales including a Downbytheseaside – Silleto colt which he bought for $10,000. He’s out of an unraced Bettor’s Delight mare who’s a full-sister to Bettor Class, the winner of seven races.

Bamford paid $25,000 for an Always B Miki colt, aptly named Moving On. He’s out of the four win Art Major mare Storm who is a half-sister to Double Jeopardy.

His other aquisition was an Always B Miki – Falcon’s Flybye filly which was passed in for $25,000.

“Bruce Robertson (SBSR vendor) asked if I would take her. He and I have gone 50/50 and I’ve put a few other people into it as well. I got one from Auckland, one from Canterbury and one from Southland so we’ll see what happens.”

He also has four two years olds at various stages, by Sweet Lou, Elite Stride, Always B Miki and Sky Major.

To date, Bamford has trained forty two winners. His first was trotter Muscle Bank which won at the Geraldine meeting in November 2022.

His major winner has been Rakero Rocket which won the 2024 Group One Christian Cullen. Bamford trained the gelding to win nine races in New Zealand before he went to Jason Grimson in Australia. The gelding’s other major win for Bamford was in the Group Three Methven Cup.