Leading Perth trainer elects to go out on his own

Tom Walter - Monday October 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...
Kiwi Bred Speed Dragon Strikes in G3 January Cup
Ready to Run Sale graduate Speed Dragon (NZ) (Darci Brahma) delivered a milestone moment for his trainer Francis Lui with a spectacular come-from-behind victory in the A$4.2m Group Three January Cup (1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. 
Magic Week for Jayven See
Singapore-based Jayven See is reaping the rewards of his continued investment into the Australian racing and breeding landscape this week on the Gold Coast.
Widden Sell First Million Dollar Yearling for Anamoe
Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe is leading the first season sire averages at Magic Millions and put the issue well beyond doubt when he produced his first seven figure yearling on Friday with Widden Stud’s colt from Secret Trail fetching $1.1million.
$500,000 Filly for Nicconi – Sister to Scorched Earth
Widden Stud’s 20 year-old stallion Nicconi is best known as the sire of champion sprinter Nature Strip and while high end commercial breeders have largely moved on from the evergreen sire, he made his presence felt at the Magic Millions on Friday when his lone yearling sold for $500,000.
Breeding to Win - 2026 Magic Millions 2YO Classic
The Gold Coast is the centre of the Australasian thoroughbred universe this week, abuzz with all the theatre and excitement of the Magic Millions on and off the track!
MyRacehorse Snap Up $750,000 Stay Inside Filly
With two stakes-winners on his resume already, Golden Slipper winning sire Stay Inside couldn’t be doing much more and Sledmere Stud were well rewarded when they sold one of his fillies at Magic Millions on Friday for $750,000.
Diamond Hopefuls Emerge at Sandown Trials
Unraced Ole Kirk filly Jadzia and stakes-placed Wild Ruler colt Stretan Ruler will plot a path towards the $2 million Group 1 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) following trial wins at Sandown Hillside on Thursday.
$900,000 for Zoustar Half-Sister to Farnan
Reigning champion sire Zoustar posted his best result at Magic Millions on Friday when the half-sister to Golden Slipper winner and exciting young sire Farnan sold for $900,000.
$1.25 Million Invincible Filly to Waller Racing
Champion sire I Am invincible has produced a filly to sell for a million or more on each of the three days of Magic Millions so far and he did it again on Friday when the Coolmore consigned filly from Qafila fetched $1.25million.
Sires With Winners - Thursday January 15
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.