While Faraway Town’s never-say-die attitude kept her in the paddock longer than her contemporaries, every time they raced her form looked better.

Trainer Matthew Smith’s rising star returns to Randwick on Saturday for the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m).

“She’s going super. She’s in really good shape,” Smith told AAP.

In her last run as a two-year-old, Faraway Town was fourth in the Group One Champagne Stakes, won by Prized Icon who was third in the Spring Champion Stakes last Saturday.

Divine Prophet was third in that race and won the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday.

“She had no luck in her final Group One of last season,” Smith said.

The Champagne was run two weeks after the ATC Sires’ Group Produce Stakes where Faraway Town was third behind Spring Champion Stakes winner Yankee Rose.

She also chased Omei Sword home in the Group Two Magic Night Stakes.

“I think every one of her runs had merit through her whole campaign. She didn’t put a bad one really at all,” Smith said.

He said her will to compete at the top level is the reason she is resuming later than her rivals.

“She puts in 110 per cent every time she goes around. She’s hard on herself,” Smith said.

“She needed the time off so we’ve given it to her.”

Smith has mapped out a three-run campaign which shifts to Melbourne after Saturday for the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m) on Cup Day and the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on November 12.

This year’s Melbourne carnival marks five years since Hurtle Myrtle gave Smith his most recent Group One in the Myer Classic.

He is hopeful Faraway Town will be his next elite-level winner but he is willing to wait until autumn to find out.

“We’ll freshen her up for the Magic Millions and then she’ll come back for autumn,” he said.

Smith is giving stablemate Zin Zan Elsie an ambitious crack at the Group Three Nivison.

“I’m normally very conservative by nature,” Smith said.

“I probably have had opportunities where I’ve avoided running them but I think sometimes when you’ve got them going well that’s the time to have a crack.”

Her big brother Zin Zan Eddie will go around in a benchmark handicap over 1600m.

“If you look at his form on paper you’d probably think ‘why is he still running this horse?’,” Smith said.

“But he’s going as good as I’ve ever had him going and I think he’ll bounce back on Saturday.”

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au