All Sassed Up is eligible for much easier races than the one she will contest at Sandown on Saturday, but the way she has come to hand has prompted trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr to be aggressive in their placement.
The daughter of Shalaa resumes in the 1000-metre benchmark 70 event for three-year-olds that kicks off the program.
It will be her first start since fishing third in the Listed St Albans Stakes (1200m) at The Valley in March, a formline that Kent said augured well for Saturday’s race.
“She’s still a maiden, but she’s well-credentialled and last start she did finish third in a Stakes race behind Crosswinds and Nanagui,” he said.
“It was either this race or one of those rich Pakenham maidens next week and this race looks to work out well for her. While she is a maiden, I think she’s well-placed.”
Godolphin filly Bistro, winner of last year’s Listed Cinderella Stakes in Adelaide, is the best-credentialled of All Sassed Up’s Sandown rivals, while narrow last-start The Valley runner-up Fission is also engaged.
All Sassed Up’s St Alban Stakes third placing followed a second placing in the $200,000 Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic, also over 1200m, on debut and Kent has no problem kicking off All Sassed Up over 1000m.
“We’ve found she’s come back this preparation a fair bit sharper,” he said.
“She was very wayward and green at her first start but she’s a more mature filly now and her trials have been very sharp.”
After a second placing in a 1000m Cranbourne jumpout on December 19, All Sassed Up scored a soft on-pace win over 800m nine days later.
Her return to racing will be carried out under Jamie Kah and they will jump from barrier five in the field of seven.
