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 on Wednesday.
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.
“I had a trainer’s licence about 20 years ago but this is my first runner since,” Austin said.
“I planned on going out on my own at some stage and when Denise decided to step back it helped make the decision.”
McGrath, whose team of horses includes Group One-placed sprinter Keen Commander, plans to return to training in the future.
“Absolutely, I love it too much,” McGrath said.
“I’m developing a property at Cobbitty and moving house and it was becoming too much to handle.
“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 and I’ll get back to training afterwards.
“The horses have been transferred to Jarrod’s name and it gives him a chance to get started too.”
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 four-year-old daughter of Galileo.
The Kensington track at Randwick was rated a heavy (9) on Tuesday 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 that was not necessary.
AAP TURF
