Baker, one of New Zealand's great trainers, has won four Derbys - the Wellington Derby, the Australian Derby (twice) and the Victorian Derby - but has never won the New Zealand Derby.
The closest Baker has come to winning the New Zealand Derby was when On The
Level ran third to Jimmy Choux and Historian in the 2011 Classic."I haven't had a lot of runners in the New Zealand Derby but it's a race I'd like to win," Baker said.
"We've got a very good horse and providing we get the breaks, he should go well."
Baker's representative in Saturday's Gr.1 $750,000 TV3 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie is Mongolian Khan, a winner of five of his six starts, including successes in the key Derby leadups of the Waikato Guineas and Avondale Guineas at his past two starts.
"We're very happy with him. He's worked well since the Avondale Guineas and he's healthy and fit," said Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman.
"His Avondale Guineas run was very good. He made two runs in the race and above all, it proved he can stay. He's a horse who will just keep going. He was the last horse to pull up. I'm pretty sure he'll get the trip.
"He's not one-dimensional either. He doesn't have to be in front. You can ride this horse midfield and still get home. He can settle him anywhere."
Given the task of overcoming a potentially tricky barrier draw of 12 is crack jockey Opie Bosson, who like Baker has never won the New Zealand Derby and would love to seal success for one of his most loyal supporters.
The pair have combined for numerous big race wins and with Bosson currently sitting on 149 stakes wins in New Zealand, the scene is set.
TAB bookmakers had Mongolian Khan as a $3 favourite when they closed their futures market for the Derby on Tuesday but opened him as a $4 second favourite on their final field market on Wednesday, favouring Volkstok'n'barrell, who is a $2.60 favourite after drawing barrier four.
Should Mongolian Khan perform up to expectations on Saturday, Baker will consider a trip to Sydney for the Holy Roman Emperor colt, with the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 4 the target.
"But he's got to perform on Saturday first," Baker said. - NZ Racing Desk
