Lucy Yeomans, operating her stable from Cranbourne, has expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to train a horse for some of Australia’s most high-profile owners.
Yeomans is scheduled to saddle the former Chris Waller-trained mare, Changing Colours, for the Bruce Gadsden Handicap (1420m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The ownership group includes notable figures such as Ozzie Kheir and Brae Sokolski, both of whom have participated in and won some of Australia’s most prestigious races.
Yeomans became acquainted with Kheir and Sokolski during her previous tenure with Ciaron Maher, and her partner, jockey Blake Shinn, has ridden feature winners for the pair.
“Brae gave a big push for the horse to come to us which I’m very grateful for,” Yeomans said.
Changing Colours, a daughter of The Autumn Sun who is approaching six years of age, had won three of her fifteen starts for Waller before her transfer to the new stable.
Yeomans indicated that Waller had sent her an email concerning the mare.
“He’s been really nice, accommodating and forthcoming about the horse,” Yeomans commented on Waller’s approach.
“She’s a bit of a quirky mare and they just thought she would be better suited to a smaller environment.
“She’s come up really well and we’re really excited to get her to the races.
“We’ve taken our time with her, got to know her, and she spends a lot of time out in the sandhills.
“We thought that was a point of difference to what she has been used to, but she left Chris’ in great order before coming to us.”
Yeomans mentioned that Changing Colours had galloped and trialled well in preparation for her first run since February.
The mare achieved victory in a 1000m jump-out at Cranbourne on June 1, following a fourth-place finish in another jump-out at the same track the previous month.
“She seems a naturally fit horse, she has good first-up form, has drawn a nice gate,” Yeomans stated. “We are not going there expecting to win, but it’s a nice kick off point and ideally the owners want to get some Black Type. At her best she might be, those fringe Black Type races, so we’ll see how we go on Saturday.”
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