Bank Maur is trying to become only the fourth three-year-old to win the Group 1 Australian Cup and first in a decade.
Super Cool in 2013 followed in the champion hoof steps of Saintly (1996) and Dulcify (1979) as previous juvenile winners of the 2000m autumn feature at Flemington.
Bank Maur won the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) last Saturday in style and pulled up even better to give trainer Richard Laming the option to back-up.
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“He’s got to take the next step, he’s taking on the big boys now,” Laming said.
“He is drawn nice, very happy with the barrier, it maps very well for him, he should be one out, one back in an ideal world with a couple of leaders outside of him.
“Hopefully that’s the case and Jye (McNeil) can put him in the race when wants.”
Bank Maur was beaten 1¼ lengths in the Group 1 Australian Guineas two starts back after jumping from barrier 15.
Bank Maur backs up in the Australian Cup on Saturday. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images
The Maurice colt finished midfield, beaten 1½ lengths, in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last year, also from barrier 15.
McNeil is back aboard Bank Maur after missing the Alister Clark due to commitments at the Golden Slipper meeting in Sydney last Saturday.
“He’s a high class rider, he rides Flemington really well, he’s a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, we’ve got plenty of confidence in him,” Laming said.
“He’s been on him in both Group 1s and hasn’t had a lot of luck with bad draws so he deserves the low draw and to get some luck on the horse.”
McNeil won an emotion-charged Australian Cup two years ago on Homesman, days after the gelding’s part-owner, Australian music industry legend Michael Gudinski died suddenly.
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