Not only did Cutadeel win over 2100m in December but Baker likes what he sees on both sides of the gelding's breeding. "Obviously we trained Dundeel and he was a very fast horse but still good enough to win a Derby," says Baker.
"He seems to be leaving that in plenty of his stock and we saw that with the big two-year-old winner (Castelvecchio) in Sydney last week.
"And this horse has a bit of Dundeel about him. He has real speed and a touch of class."
But Baker digs even further to boost punter confidence ahead of tomorrow's Guineas and the $1 million Vodafone Derby at Ellerslie in two weeks.
"He (Cutadeel) is out of a Dylan Thomas mare and he was a real stayer, he won the Arc. So I don't think this week or the Derby distance will bother him.
"He won well last start and and I think The Chosen One will be better this week too because he raced a bit fresh in the Waikato Guineas last week. So we have three chances but it is a good, even field. The one thing we have learned in the last few years is this race is the most important lead-up to the Derby."
Cutadeel is not only favourite tomorrow but also for the Derby and looks to have the x-factor some of the more dour stayers in the classic crop don't.
After his impressive win at Pukekohe last start and perfect draw tomorrow he looks the horse on the up while some rivals are coming through busier summer campaigns.
The obvious danger is Surely Sacred, who didn't have a lot of luck when fifth in the Karaka Classic last start and races like the step up to 2100m will suit him as he has tends to get back over the mile.
There are plenty of other high class three-year-olds in the race that has tended to be moving day in the Derby markets: very few Derby winners don't hit the line hard in the Guineas first.
Hitting the line hard has been the problem for another Baker-Forsman trained stayer of late in Mongolian Marshal, who contests tomorrow's $100,000 Coca-Cola Avondale Cup.
The way he won the Waikato Cup three starts back over 2400m that distance range looked to hold no fears for him but he has seemed to peak on his run after having beautiful sits close to the speed in both the City of Auckland and Karaka Stayers Cups in his last two starts.
It seems ridiculous to say the Waikato Cup winner can't stay 2400m but another conviction tomorrow would suggest Mongolian Marshal is struggling with the classic distance right now.
But with plenty of lightly-weighted snipers ready to chase him down as well as his last-start conqueror Five To Midnight, Mongolian Marshal won't be starting anywhere as short as he did in his last two starts.
Avondale at Ellerslie
• The Avondale club's two biggest races of the season will be held at Ellerslie tomorrow.
• The $100,000 Avondale Guineas is the best form guide to the $1 million Vodafone Derby two weeks later.
• The group two races include an Ellerslie rarity, potentially two reps from the Chris Waller stable.
• The $100,000 Avondale Cup brings together plenty of summer staying Cups form.
