Sydney galloper Famous Seamus failed in his only Melbourne appearance when he struggled to cope with a trip away from home.

But he has handled the travel much better this time around as he prepares for Saturday's Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Famous Seamus has ventured south for the Group Three weight-for-age contest after winning the Listed Lightning Handicap at Randwick for the second year in a row.

After claiming the same sprint last year, trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith picked out a Listed race during the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington for Famous Seamus.

But the gelding didn't handle the trip away and finished down the track.

"When I saw him in Melbourne last year I knew that he was in a lot of trouble," Mayfield-Smith said.

"He had lost a lot of weight.

"I just had to nurse him but at that level that's not good enough."

Since then Famous Seamus has had another trip away to Brisbane where he won two races from four starts and was unplaced in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap.

This campaign he was narrowly beaten second-up in the Premiere Stakes in Sydney before winning the Lightning.

The gelding arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday.

"He has progressed well since his last start and everything has gone according to plan," Mayfield-Smith said.

"He travelled really well and he's settled in well."

Famous Seamus is on the third line of betting behind the Darren Weir-trained pair of Platelet and Lonhspresso.

Group One winner Platelet is the horse Mayfield-Smith fears.

"Platelet's in very good form and we have to give her weight so you've got to be realistic, she is going to be a very heavy stumbling block," he said.

"But he'll run well."

Mayfield-Smith is again looking at next year's Brisbane winter carnival with Famous Seamus but is keen to get through Saturday before making concrete plans.

Tim Clark has ridden Famous Seamus throughout his spring campaign and he will be the Sydney-based jockey's only mount at Caulfield.