Telford was a wannabe nomadic trainer who struck the horse of a lifetime in Phar Lap

Harry Telford had grown up around horses, with his father training them for a living, first in Ballarat, and then near Wellington in New Zealand, before returning to Australia. The first horse Harry had anything in do with was Modesty, which he took from Ballarat to Mt. Gambier, where he remained for some time. He rode Modesty to victory in several races. The wanderlust has always been in the blood of Telford, and he has drifted into many cities with a horse or two, intending to stay a week or so, and then remained there for years. Telford went from Ballarat to Invercargill, New Zealand, where he stayed for some time. Later he went to Dunedin. where he secured a position in the stable of Harry Goodman, the leading trainer of the day.

Telford had the care of Sir Modred a star performer in New Zealand winning the Canterbury and Dunedin Cups. He remained with Goodman for five years, and then went with Horace Lunn, a prominent trainer at Christchurch. Subsequently, he was foreman in the stable of R. J. Mason, the noted trainer of Gloaming and other champions. Some time later Telford came to Australia with the jumper North-East. He was a fine, big chestnut gelding, who carried big weights, but was rather unruly at the barrier. The next chapter in the life of the Harry was when he arrived at Newcastle NSW with Ard-na-ree for whom he paid only 130 guineas. With Ard-na-ree he won several races, including the Trial Stakes at Randwick on Epsom Day, 1918. A few weeks later Telford brought Ard-na-ree to Melbourne with one of the Cups in view. The St. Alwyne horse ran seventh in the Caulfield Cup, but failed badly in the Melbourne Cup. Another good horse secured cheaply by Telford was Jack Findlay, for whom he paid only 60 guineas. He turned out to be a good one, though he did not succeed on a visit to Melbourne. However, at that time he was not under the care of Telford. After he had parted with Ard-na-ree, Telford returned to New Zealand. He returned to Sydney some time later with Solfanello, a smart sprinter, with whom he won races.

In 1927 a 50-year-old, battling Sydney trainer, Harry Telford, studied the catalogue for the yearling sales at Trentham, New Zealand. As a keen student of thoroughbred breeding, he was attracted to a colt by Night Raid out of Entreaty, enamoured with the staying possibilities in the bloodlines. Telford was pretty well broke and must have had some nerves about the chance he was taking on the colt from New Zealand. Acting on behalf of owner David Davis, Telford secured him for a bargain 160 guineas, but when Davis saw the dangling colt come off the steamer he refused to take him. To use his own words, Phar Lap "looked like a kangaroo dog."

Instead he leased the colt to Telford for three years, who became the owner/trainer of the mighty Phar Lap. Towards the end of the year Phar Lap was brought into training, and had his first race in February 1929,  finishing last in the Nursery Handicap at Rosehill. He was rather clumsy to begin with, but soon Telford realised that in Phar Lap he had the makings of a good horse. In his usual style, he gave him every chance to mature, and while the process was being carried out, the gelding was not required to do anything that would over-exert him.

At four-years-old Telford trained Phar Lap to 14 successive wins, including the W. S. Cox Plate, Melbourne Cup, Linlithgow Stakes, C. B. Fisher Plate, and King's Plate. At five he won a further eight successive races, including a second Cox Plate, before his failure in the 1931 Melbourne Cup. Over the next 12 months Phar Lap was to change Telford's fortunes. The battler's address changed to 'easy street' as his horse piled victory upon victory. By 1930 Telford owned many race horses. He bought the property Braeside at Mentone, Victoria, and upgraded it into a horse training facility at great cost. Commitments at Braeside prevented Telford from accompanying Phar Lap on the fateful excursion to America. His last race was in distant Mexico where he confirmed his champion status on the international stage.

Telford had success with the two-year-old colt Aurania, winning the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington in convincing Phar Lap style. The horse was bred by Telford from the mare Rondalina - a former stable mate of Phar Lap's - and the famous English sire Manitoba. When Silver Hawk won the Balwyn Handicap at Caulfield in 1953, it was reported in the press as Harry Telford's first win in Melbourne for 14 years. Telford retired from racing in 1957 and died in 1960.