The disappointment of missing a start in the Tatts Tiara with Faraway Town has been exacerbated for Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith by the poor Sydney weather as she heads to the Winter Dash at Randwick on Saturday.
Faraway Town showed she is a quality sprinter winning the Triscay Stakes in the autumn and Smith planned a first-up shot at the Tiara.
Flying: Faraway Town might not have got a run in the Tatts Tiara but is ready to show her winter best at Randwick.
Photo: AAP
“We were very keen to get her into the group 1 fresh because she showed last preparation that is how she races best,” Smith said. "I thought it was a great opportunity for her.
“She has done everything right and is ready to go but we didnt get a run, so Randwick is our option now, but I dont want to run her on a really wet track.
“There is the Civic Stakes next week, if it is heavy.
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“We dont want to flatten her first-up on a very wet track, because she is flying. It is a race she gets into very well at the weights for a group 3 winner on Saturday and I would love to see her there.
''She is going super and I would think she is going to be very competitive wherever she returns.”
Smith plans a couple of winter runs for Faraway Town, which is closing on $1 million in stakes, before taking on the best mares company in spring. He was impressed by two recent barrier trial wins, the latest on a heavy Randwick beating Daysee Doom by 4-3/4 lengths.
“We just let her run to the line and she seems to have come through the trial in super shape,” Smith said. “It was pleasing to see her back in form and finish off the race well, it was just about letting her open up a little bit and just getting a good hitout under her belt as we wont do much with her now between then and the race.
“She is up and running and we would like to get a couple of runs from her before the spring.”
Faraway Town carries the colours of Frank and Christine Cook, who also have Fierce Impact, Touch Of Mink and Aqua Divina in the Smith stable.
“They seem to be able to find really good mares for us and it is a credit to the work they do at yearling sales, and they sent us Fierce Impact,” Smith said.
“We are looking forward to having a big spring for them and I think we will be celebrating another win with Faraway Town before then and we are taking Touch Of Mink to the Sunshine Coast Guineas next week.
“It is going to be an exciting next couple of months for all of us.”
While Smith is unsure if Faraway Town will run on Saturday, he is looking forward to the wet conditions for stayer Plymouth Road earlier in the afternoon.
“He is one that will love the heavy track and is rock hard fit,” Smith said. “He likes give in the ground and his last two runs have shown that he is in the best form of his career.”
Smith will finish the day with Rebel Miss in the final event over 1000m.
“She has handled soft tracks in the past and I think we have found the right race for her,” he said.
Racing writer for The Sydney Morning Herald
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