Weekend at Bernie’s: 70yo trainer set to steal show in The Quokka

If you had told Bernie Miller a few months ago that he’d have a runner in a $5 million race, he’d have said you were an idiot. But on Saturday, the 70-year-old larrikin trainer can provide the fairytale story of The Quokka.

Some trainers might party for a week if they won a $5m race, but not 70-year-old larrikin Bernie Miller.

Miller, who worked for an electrical company fixing power lines for more than two decades, might be a colourful character but he knows the value of hard work.

He can provide the fairytale story of Saturday’s $5m The Quokka at Ascot but says even if Jokers Grin scores the rich slot race, there will be work to be done at his small stable an hour from Perth.

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“If you told me last year that I would have a horse in a $5m race, I would have said you were an idiot,” Miller told Racenet.

“I’m quite dedicated with everything I do with my horses.

“After the race on Saturday I’ve got to drive the truck back to my stables and Perth drivers are the worst in the world.

“I would rather get home, get my horse safe and do the things I need to do for the other horses who are just as important.

“I won’t finish until after 9pm that night.

“I might have a sneaky light beer, but that will be it.”

Jokers Grin remains unbeaten over 1000m after winning the $100,000 Rock Magic Stakes. Check out the exciting return by the rising star of WA.@[e-mail]/UYKRjDcHXg

— Racing WA Thoroughbred (@RacingWA_Tbreds) March 29, 2025

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Miller first started training in the early 1980s but has never been a big-time player.

His main source of income for 23 years was working as a linesman for an electrical company.

“We used to work on the power lines when they were live, so we used to have a lot of accidents,” Miller chuckled.

“Basically, I was just a young kid who loved horses.

“We were lucky that I had a family friend who had some good trotters.

“As a young bloke, I couldn’t wait until I was 16 so I could go to the trots.

“One fella knew I loved the horses and got me an ex-racehorse that was retired and my love of thoroughbreds started from there.”

Larrkin WA trainer Bernie Miller, who spent decades working on powerlines, is living the dream with Jokers Grin in the $5m The Quokka at Ascot on Saturday. Picture: Western Racepix

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Miller, who returned to training in 2007, purchased the mother of Jokers Grin as a weanling and that was the origin of the remarkable tale of the unexpected Quokka contender.

The four-year-old gelding has won six from nine and could be the giant killer in The Quokka, looking to take down the likes of two-time winner Overpass and other high calibre eastern states contenders such as Headwall and Front Page.

Miller says he currently has five horses in work, up from the solitary horse he trained when he returned to training in 2007.

But he says his horse numbers fluctuate.

One thing he feels sure of is that Jokers Grin, an $11 chance, will make his presence felt in the $5m slot race on Saturday.

Thrilling finish to the Group 3 PKF Roma Cup over 1100m at Ascot with the judges unable to split The Boss Lady and Jokers Grin before stewards ultimately upheld a protest in The Boss Lady's favour.

Resuming after 3 straight at Ascot, this was the second stakes victory for The… pic.twitter.com/0Gnus9XDrS

— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) April 12, 2025

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“This week I’m training five horses, but next week Jokers Grin will have a spell so I will be down to four,” Miller said.

“The week after that, I don’t know.

“I‘m very confident that my horse will be extremely competitive.

“His work last Saturday was a personal best.

“I can’t get him any better at this stage of his life to complete against the best sprinters.

“Patty Carbery is one of the kindest and nicest jockeys going around and he is like family to me, it would mean a lot to both of us if we could win.”

"We are actually the best mates, 100%."

Bernie Miller, Patty Carbery & Jokers Grin make an all-star Quokka team 🤗 pic.twitter.com/1FN9JCYqfT

— Ladbrokes Australia (@ladbrokescomau) April 20, 2025

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Jokers Grin will race in the Ladbrokes slot.

A spokesman said: “We are proud to be supporting a local horse in their richest race this year.

“We believe Jokers Grin can go on to bigger and better things and we are backing in Bernie Miller and Patrick Carbery to get him there.”

Originally published as Weekend at Bernie’s: 70yo trainer set to steal show in The Quokka