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By Ray Hickson

A successful end to a breakthrough preparation by in-form filly Allasandra would encourage trainer David Payne to set his sights higher when she returns later this year.

The three-year-old has come of age with a hat-trick and will look to make it four wins on end in the Furphy Handicap (1300m) at Kensington on Wednesday.

Payne said he’s wary Allasandra, $3.40 with TAB on Tuesday, is into her fourth month of her current prep and doesn’t want to go to the well too often with a filly he says still has enormous upside and potential to reach stakes level.

“She’s a progressive filly. I think this will be her last run and then I’ll spell her,’’ Payne said.

“She’s been up a long time so I’d like to give her a bit of a spell then we’ll look to step her out over further.

“She’s a big rangy filly and she’s bred to do it, we just haven’t had the opportunity at the moment.”

Allasandra didn’t make her debut until late in her two-year-old season and didn’t snare her maiden win until her ninth start, which was on a heavy track at Wyong in April.

Like he does with most of his fillies, Payne has been patient with Allasandra though early on he didn’t have a choice when she was found to have had an unusual issue.

“In her first prep she broke the blood vessels in both nostrils so we put her out for six months and she came back good,’’ he said.

“I think she needed time to mature.”

Allasandra wins at Kensington on June 14

The form around the filly since her first win has been encouraging, particularly from her Class 1 success at Newcastle where she beat subsequent winners Time Quest and Smart Legend.

After an easy Kensington win over 1400m on June 14 she was due to contest last weekend’s Midway but Payne elected to scratch when she drew a wide alley. So far it’s proven to be the right move given she’ll jump from three in Wednesday’s assignment.

Payne said the track conditions will be of no concern to Allasandra, who has won on both good and heavy tracks, and just hopes the 100m drop in trip doesn’t play against her.

“I think she’s going to want much further in time, I think she’s going to want 1600m plus,’’ he said.

“I’d love to have run her the other day but she drew 17 and that makes it hard.

“I’d like to be in the first three, if you’ve drawn well you’ve got to try and utilise the barrier.”

Consistent sprinter Fox Fighter will line up in a Benchmark 88 over 1200m at Randwick this Saturday looking for a change of fortune after contesting open or Listed class sprints in four runs back.

He finished third behind dual Group 1 winner Think About It in the Takeover Target Stakes in May and last start ran sixth behind Ucalledit in the Civic Stakes (1400m).

“He hasn’t had a lot of luck this prep. That’s racing but he’ll go around and run his usual race,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Kensington meeting