The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is banking on a drop back to mares’ grade being beneficial for Expressiveness at her second start in Australia.

The former New Zealand-trained mare, heads to the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday after a pleasing first-up run at the track on August 17.

Expressiveness finished third, beaten 1-¼ lengths, behind the Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained Arkansaw Kid.

“She was very good first-up, very brave, but was beaten by a better horse on the day and the Hayes boys have got a big rap on Arkansaw Kid,” Kent Jnr said.

“She’s a big-barrelled mare that was always going to improve more than most out of the race and I think race fitness is what she needs now.

“She has come on beautifully from the run. She has worked well since, and she didn’t have a hard run first-up and she’s drawn a lovely gate.”

Expressiveness came across to the Price and Kent Jnr yard having won six of her 17 starts In New Zealand.

Included among those starts was a narrow second in one of New Zealand’s premier sprints, the Group 1 Telegraph Stakes (1200m) at Trentham.

Kent Jnr is hopeful Expressiveness can recapture that type of form and be a competitor in some of the Stakes races through the spring.

“Typical of the Cockram on Saturday, it’s always a strong race being the start of the spring,” Kent Jnr said.

“It’s a big field with a bit of depth to it and she’s right in the mix.

“She’s a Group class mare and whether she gets back up to the top-class level in Australia, time will tell, but we’ll give her a chance to tell us.”

Expressiveness heads the market for the Cockram Stakes at $4 ahead of Extratwo at $8.