Karen Zimmerman admits she'll likely shed a tear or two at the office on Saturday.

She will send out her last runners as a central districts trainer at Otaki, her home for the last 13 years, before heading north next week to her new base of operations at Byerley Park.

"It will be emotional, but we're also looking forward to it and another challenge," Zimmerman said.

"We're going next Tuesday and there will be eight horses going with us, another two of mine that are in the paddock will be coming up.

"I've got four already to come into the stable from new clients, including one for Haunui and one for Westbury Stud."

Zimmerman said moving to Byerley Park was the only option open to her to remain a public trainer.

"It's just become more and more difficult to syndicate horses in the CD and we just couldn't carry on the way we were. We either had to move north or find something else to do. It's going to be very tough leaving, but that's the way it is."

Zimmerman began training in her home town of Wanganui in the late 1980s when she enjoyed good success, particularly with the brothers Govicar and Paddy's Wish, who won 17 races between them.

She later moved to Levin and then to Otaki and she is within touching distance of 500 New Zealand career wins.

Her current tally of 498 includes Group One wins with Cinder Bella (Captain Cook Stakes, Kelt Capital Stakes), Rodin (Captain Cook Stakes) and Barinka (NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes).

Zimmerman's best chances of a winning farewell at Otaki look to be the dual acceptor Don Blanco, who has strong claims in either the Hiremaster Maiden or the Mills Reef 3YO, and Hollypop in the Riverstone Café Maiden.