Proven performer Palazzo Pubblico will spearhead Matthew Smith’s trio at Randwick with the trainer also keen to see how newcomer Tell No Tales performs.
Group One-placed Faraway Town joins the pair as she embarks on a campaign designed to improve on her solitary win from 17 starts which have also yielded six placings including a third in the 2016 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes won by Yankee Rose.
Tell No Takes will be first off the mark on Saturday when she makes her debut in the 2YO Plate (1000m).
“She’s a nice filly. I’m not sure what level she is at but this is a good race to kick her off in and find out,” Smith said.
“Her trials have been good and she is working well so we’ll send her to the races and see what happens.”
Palazzo Pubblico runs in the Summer Sprint (1200m) coming off a midfield finish in the Listed Razor Sharp (1200m) during which she over-raced and copped a check at the 400m.
Smith has put that run down as forgettable and is looking to her previous start when she ran third in the Listed Absolut Stakes over the straight 1000m-course at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week.
As long as she shows she is back in form, Melbourne will again be the destination for the Gerry Harvery-owned mare.
“She has had a freshen-up and is in good shape going to this race although she has a bit of an awkward draw,” Smith said.
“The plan is to take her back to Melbourne after this. There are a few more options for a mare like her and she went really well down there.
Palazzo Pubblico has drawn barrier seven of eight while Faraway Town has gate 10 of 11 in the 1200m-benchmark event.
But her racing pattern means she will get back anyway and Smith knows he can’t change the way she races.
“The barrier is not helpful but she has no gate speed and will get back,” he said.
“She just can’t get going in the first 50 metres but we just want to see her getting home strongly.
“She’s in great shape and has run well fresh before. The plan is to keep her to sprints this campaign.”
