Leading Perth trainer elects to go out on his own

Tom Walter - Monday Oct 23

Prominent Perth trainer Simon Miller and Aquanita Racing will part ways from January 1 next year.

Advertisement
Trainer Simon Miller (left) will leave his position at Aquanita Racing on January 1 next year.

Miller has prepared more than 400 winners since Aquanita appointed him to run their first Perth stable in 2008.

However, the trainer told The West Australian on Sunday that he is keen to establish his own operation.

"It's been great from my point of view starting off training and not having to worry about the financial and business side of it," Miller said.

"The landscape has changed here and I want to go full-on.

"From January 1, I'm on my own and I'm preparing my own colours now. The good thing is I've got the key component down, which is training, and now I can have a look at the business side of it.

"My partner Ellie Crispe wants to jump in and do all the accounts and the admin side of it. We've had good success.

"We've set a high standard and that's what we'll adhere to moving forward. Sometimes you get a bit stale and you need a new challenge – hopefully this is it."

Miller, who honed his craft under the tutelage of Robert Smerdon, John O'Shea, Tony Vasil and Robbie Griffiths, will remain at his current Ascot stable instead of returning to his home state of Victoria.

"I only have to go home and see how hard my mates are training there, seven days a week, driving four hours one day for a meeting and five hours the next," he said.

"When I realised I was going to lock myself down here, that was another reason to go out on my own.

"We're back on Sky Thoroughbred Central, the Ascot track looks amazing, Bunbury's standalone meeting was brilliant and prize money is going up again next year.

"There's a lot of positives. I'm in a good head space and I'm enjoying it here again."

Since setting up in the west, Miller has travelled a handful of horses over to the eastern states during carnival time, including last season's Group I Thousand Guineas (1600m) third placegetter Whispering Brook.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Inglis Digital Purchase Iron Hawk to Tackle G3 TAB Mile
Harness racing trainer Barry Purdon bought Iron Hawk last year with New Zealand Cup Week in mind, and now the moment has arrived, with the stakes performer set to tackle the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 10
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Waikato Stud Celebrate Flemington Double
Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick had hoped to have two runners in Saturday’s Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, but a change of plans ultimately delivered a memorable double for the Matamata nursery.
One to Watch – Mornington
A homebred for Seymour Bloodstock with an intriguing pedigree opened her account with a stylish win at Mornington on Tuesday.
2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Darley Announce 2027 European Fees -Night of Thunder Soars to €450,000
It will be Dubawi central at Darley in 2027 with the legendary 24YO sire priced at £350,000, but the roster is topped by his champion son Night of Thunder at €450,000 and there are three more G1 winning sons or grand-sons of Dubawi also added to a power packed roster.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
New French SW for Almanzor
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (Fr) added a new stakes-winner to his tally in France on Sunday when progressive three year-old filly Lameloise landed the Listed Prix Vulcain (2500m) at Saint Cloud.