Racing: Former foreman to star at Randwick

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Denise McGrath's decision to take a break from training while she concentrates on establishing another project has paved the way for her stable foreman to launch his own training career at Randwick today.

Jarrod Austin, who has worked with McGrath for the past seven years, will saddle up Yonderstar in the Pride Of Accountability Handicap (1800m).

The mare has earned a city start with two provincial wins in June.

McGrath decided to take a step back from training as she develops a pre-training and agistment property in Sydney's southwest and Austin was granted his trainer's licence last week.

McGrath, whose team of horses includes group one-placed sprinter Keen Commander, plans to return to training in the future.

"Jarrod Austin has been with me as my foreman for a long time and wanted to get a licence and that enabled me to step back and concentrate on what I'm doing on this other side.

"I want to get that up and running so I'm focused on that now."

Yonderstar, who is one of six horses Austin has in work, won a 1600m maiden at Kembla on June 11 and made it two on the trot with an all-the-way win over the same distance in a Wyong class one on June 30.

"I've been really happy with her lately and after those last two wins she deserves a crack in town," Austin said.

"It's a big step up in class for her, it's going to be hard, but she's got no weight on her back and I think she deserves a crack at them."

Apprentice Shaun Guymer will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Galileo.

The track at Randwick was rated a heavy (9) yesterday, after copping 269mm of rain in the past week.

Australian Turf Club officials had a contingency plan to possibly move the meeting to another Sydney track but after an inspection on Monday decided that was not necessary.

- AAP