Trainer Denise McGrath is hoping Marlu Gold will give her something to smile about at Randwick on Friday after a tough week for the stable.The seven-race twilight meeting features the comeback of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Chris Munce following his 20 months in prison over the tips-for-bets scandal in Hong Kong.McGrath said the career of talented mare So Bewitching was hanging in the balance because of a back injury discovered after she returned from Wyong last Sunday when she failed to beat a

Trainer Denise McGrath is hoping Marlu Gold will give her something to smile about at Randwick on Friday after a tough week for the stable.

The seven-race twilight meeting features the comeback of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Chris Munce following his 20 months in prison over the tips-for-bets scandal in Hong Kong.

McGrath said the career of talented mare So Bewitching was hanging in the balance because of a back injury discovered after she returned from Wyong last Sunday when she failed to beat a runner home in the Mona Lisa Stakes.

"It was so disappointing that we knew something must have been wrong with her," McGrath said.

"We had the chiropractor go over her and she was gone across the back.

"We think she either did it slipping on take off or she got cast in her box the night before the race, either way she is still very sore and if she hasn't improved in a couple of weeks we could have to look at other options."

McGrath, who trains a small team at Warwick Farm, celebrated her first stakes win with Keen Commander in the Lightning Handicap at Randwick in October.

"Hopefully Marlu can provide us with a positive in what has been a disappointing week for the stable," McGrath said.

Marlu Gold lines up in the Randwick Betting Auditorium Handicap (1800m) after running fifth to I've Got Talent over 1600m at Warwick Farm on November 18.

And that performance provided McGrath with plenty of confidence ahead of Friday's race.

"He got held up a couple of times in the run and was only beaten just 2-1/2 lengths so I thought it was a very encouraging run," McGrath said.

"He's pretty much a one-pacer and when he does get rolling it's hard for him to get going again if he gets stopped and he got stopped a couple of times in the run."

The Lujain gelding will be ridden by his regular jockey Terry Jones and has drawn favourably in barrier three.

"That's the perfect gate for him, he'll get his chance to get a nice position and hopefully hit top gear in the straight," McGrath said.

Marlu Gold is rated a $13 chance in pre-post markets with the Gai Waterhouse-trained Ambassador the $2.80 favourite.

The Choisir gelding scored a commanding 3-1/2 length win over Kiss Of The Dragon in a 1400-metre maiden at Hawkesbury on December 3.