Multiple Group One-winning trainer Karen Zimmerman will take a change in direction in coming weeks when she takes up the position of stable foreman for Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley.

Zimmerman won four Group One races in her training career, which included victories in the Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) with Rodin (2004) and Cinder Bella (2000), with the latter also taking out the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) in 2001, while Barinka recorded Zimmerman’s last Group One in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha in 2011.

Tiley said he is delighted to have someone of Zimmerman’s experience join the stable.

“She is going to join us in about three weeks,” he said.

“We advertised for a foreman/assistant trainer and Karen was very keen to take it on and we would have been stupid if we hadn’t taken her straight away.

“When she sent me through her record this morning I texted her back and said ‘I should actually be working for you’.

“She’s a horsewoman too, her horses always look immaculate on race day.

“I’ll be able to travel a few more horses and be very comfortable that I have got somebody at home that’s more than capable of doing the job for us.”