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An exhibition gallop between races at Sandown will have Bank Maur in peak order for his return in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

Bank Maur has rounded off his preparation for a first-up tilt at a Group 1 race with a gallop between races at Sandown. 

Trainer Richard Laming took advantage of galloping Bank Maur with stablemate Nerone between races on Wednesday as Bank Maur prepares for a first-up tilt at the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday week. 

After wintering in Queensland where he trialled at Doomben, Bank Maur also trialled at Randwick last week before arriving back at Laming's Cranbourne stable last week. 

"We wintered him in Queensland," Laming said. 

"He went up for the Stradbroke Handicap (in June), and he was ready to go but didn't get a run. 

"I didn't want to give him a run just for the sake of it, so I just backed off him and after that I had the Memsie in mind.  

"He had his first trial at Doomben. I wanted to have him pretty wound up because I want to try and catch a few of the Group 1 horses napping, so he's done plenty of work and that gallop will certainly tighten him up." 

Bank Maur, who is entered for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, galloped over 1200m, working home strongly over the final 400m where he had the better of Nerone late in the gallop. 

Jye Mcneil had the sit on Wednesday and will partner the four-year-old on Saturday week. 

"Jye was very happy with him. It's the first time he's been on his back this preparation," Laming said. 

"We'll kick off on Saturday in the Memsie over 1400 metres at Caulfield next week and then we'll weigh up where we go from there, whether it is to the Makybe Diva Stakes or the Underwood Stakes. 

"He's got to take that step from three to four, but there's plenty of races to choose from as well. 

"He didn't have a lot of luck in big races in the autumn with barrier draws. Hopefully we can have a bit of luck drawing good gates because they're crucial in Group 1's." 

Laming was heartened to see Amenable win first-up at Caulfield and the performance of Attrition in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes. 

Bank Maur competed against those gallopers during their three-year-old campaigns. 

"They were running around with him, and he was probably better than them," Laming said. 

"He's now got to do it, but he trialled very well at Randwick. 

"It was quite a good form trial, and the track was quite wet. His wheels spun a bit, but everything has gone to plan so far."