Racing: Murray Baker in Bonneval high five bid

Bonneval's spring campaign depends on how she performs tomorrow at Caulfield. Photo / Getty Images

Murray Baker places a lot of weight on history.

And tomorrow's group one Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield boasts a rich history, especially for the Hall of Fame trainer.

Names such as Phar Lap, Bonecrusher, Tie The Knot, Octagonal and Northerly adorn the trophy.

But in modern times, no trainer has established a record in the race that matches Baker's.

He will saddle Bonneval tomorrow as he bids for a fifth win in the race and while confidence is down on previous years after the reigning horse of the year ran, as her trainer puts it, only an "average" race in the group two Feehan Stakes a fortnight ago, Baker can draw on past success as a source for optimism.

In the leadup to the race, we asked Baker to recount those wins.

1990 - The Phantom

Baker's first group one in Australia. Another 20 have followed.

"He was a good horse. He'd won the Memsie and then run fourth in the Feehan leading in and Grant Cooksley rode him. The Underwood was the race we targeted with him. He beat Royal Creation and Zabeel. Royal Creation was a New Zealand horse, trained by Ray Verner and by Jim Campin's good stallion Vice Regal."

2011 - Lion Tamer

Giving Baker his second win in the race after a 21-year break.

"He beat Southern Speed, who went on to win the Caulfield Cup. It was his first run back in Melbourne after he'd won the Victoria Derby the year before. He'd run a good race for fourth in the Makfi before going over. Unfortunately, he broke his leg in the Cox Plate two starts later and we never got to see the best of him. He was a pretty good horse."

2013 - Dundeel

Another Derby winner returning for Underwood success the following spring, though Dundeel's Classic success was in the Australian Derby in Sydney.

"Up against Atlantic Jewel - it was a great race. She was previously unbeaten and Dundeel and her went neck and neck down the straight. He was probably the best horse I trained and that was a terrific win."

2017 - Bonneval

The New Zealand and Australian Oaks winner made it six straight wins when she triumphed in last year's race.

"It was a good win. She was on top of her game and Hugh Bowman gave her a lovely trip."

Twelve months on, Bonneval goes into the Underwood as a $21 outsider with TAB bookmakers, a far cry from the $4 price on offer last year.

"It was a pretty average run in the Feehan. I wouldn't say disappointing because it was her first run in 10 and a half months after her injury last spring, but it was only average," said Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman.

"She has improved a lot in the last three weeks and she's getting fitter. We'd only had one trial leading into that first run because of the weather and cancellations. And mares can be funny. Sometimes they just don't go.

"It was a bit of a leader's track and hard to make ground from the back. She worked well on Thursday morning."

Baker indicated Bonneval's spring campaign would depend on how she performed tomorrow at Caulfield.

The group one A$1 million Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 13 is one option.

That meeting also hosts the group one Thousand Guineas (1600m), a race Peaceful could contest for the stable if she can seal a place through a bold showing in tomorrow's group two Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).

"We're happy with Peaceful. She's got a huge step to make from Wanganui to Caulfield but she's going well," Baker said, adding that Peaceful compared well to Eleonora, who won the group three Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield in 2015 before placing in the group one Victorian Oaks (2500m) at Flemington, a race Peaceful was nominated for this week.

New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance is slated to resume in a 1700m handicap race at Caulfield tomorrow, with 61kg.

"He's a bit behind. He's picked up since he's been in Melbourne with the sun on his back and he's had a couple of jumpouts but he'll still need a race or two to get race-fit," Baker said.

"He's qualified for the Melbourne Cup and assured a start. We've got six weeks to get him fit for that."