The best tactics for Bloomingdale Miss may have emerged from the adversity she faced at her last start.

The Robert Smerdon-trained mare had plenty in reserve halfway down the straight at Caulfield on July 5 but jockey Daniel Moor had no gaps in front of him through which to push the five-year-old.

Bloomingdale Miss was good enough to sprint sharply once an opening came to win narrowly and show connections she might be best ridden with cover as long as possible in Saturday's Australian Defence Force Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield.

"It's never ideal to be in that position but it actually worked out well for her to be held up as long as she was," Moor said.

"It would be wrong to say that was the plan to go out and ride her like that but she seemed to be really effective just being smothered up and getting a run as late as possible.

Moor said he would position Bloomingdale Miss to ensure he was able to secure clear running when he needed to late in the $80,000 contest.

"I'd imagine we'd aim for a similar sort of run but not with the heart attack stuff that we had last time," Moor said.

Bloomingdale Miss has not raced for seven weeks but Smerdon trialled the Shamardal mare in heavy ground at Cranbourne on August 4.

Bloomingdale Miss finished third behind the Mick Kent-trained Danestroem who will be among her opponents again.

Danestroem won twice at Caulfield in December last year before producing a career-best performance when third in the Group Three Mannerism Stakes at the venue in February.

Danestroem is a $5 chance in early betting while Bloomingdale Miss has drifted from $6 to $8 after good support for her stablemate Members Joy.

Members Joy has not won since September 2012 but punters have backed her from $13 into $9 to end her winning drought.