Racing: Baker wraps up 8th Derby

Vin De Dance (inner) edges out Mongolianconqueror in the $1m NZ Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Trish Dunell

What's better than winning seven derbies? Well, clearly eight, but particularly producing Vin De Dance to take the million dollar Vodafone Derby on Ellerslie's famous turf.

Getting Murray Baker to emotionally fizz is more difficult than getting the Warriors to win a premiership, but the Hall Of Fame horseman came as close as it gets as he waited for his flight back to New Zealand at Sydney Airport Saturday night.

Baker watched Vin De Dance outbob Mongolianconqueror on television from Randwick, where he produced class mare Francaletta to finish a fine first-up third in the A$200,000 Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbred Stakes ninety minutes after the Derby and eighty minutes before the incomparable Winx threw in one of the best performances of her magical career.

"Very satisfying," said Baker, "a great result." You are very difficult to please if you don't rate Jason Waddell's winning effort aboard Vin De Dance was the ride of the day - if it doesn't win ride of the season, it will be in the trifecta result.

The evidence was there for all to see - when interviewed pre-race Waddell said: "I'm going to win because I want it more than any other jockey out there." He justified that sentence with a picture perfect performance. From wider than mid-field he got Vin De Dance over to be in the one-out, one-back position in fourth before the bend out of the home straight. From there it was simply a matter of pressing the 'go' button at the right time. He did. Class.

Michael McNab gets similar points for his ride on Mongolianconqueror. One stride before the finish Mongolian Conqueror was in front, but Vin De Dance, on a different stride, put his head down and therefore slightly forward right when it mattered. Training partner Andrew Forsman represented the team at Ellerslie. "This is huge, OTI is a new client and it's a big result to win the Derby for them."

OTI principal, Melbourne's Terry Henderson manages a big team of horses and admitted he was more emotional than usual for someone who has climbed and beaten racing's Mt Everest - the Melbourne Cup.

"This race is special to me, I've always wanted to win it."

Baker says the stable was always confident of Vin De Dance developing into a top class stayer. "He went over to Melbourne in the spring and finished third at Caulfield and fifth in the Group 2 Vase at Moonee Valley. Damien Oliver got off him and said when this horse develops further in the autumn you're going to have a serious racehorse. How right was he."

Baker and Forsman should have produced two numbers of the Derby trifecta. The best fancied of the stable's runners, Mission Hill, finished sixth after a less-than-suitable trip in running outside the leader. Without question had Mission Hill had cover somewhere in the first half of the field he would have finished at least third. His effort was excellent.

So winning eight derbies is great and taking the next Derby on the table, which happens to be the Australian Derby in Sydney is even better. Yes, Vin De Dance is likely to be there, all going well, but Baker has big Derby aspirations for Mongolian Marshal, who on Saturday stylishly won an undercard race by 3.3 lengths due in part to a classy ride from young Melbourne jockey Ben Allen.

"I've got a lot of time for this horse. He's a beautiful animal and although he's still getting there he will be a big winner. Luck hasn't been with him and he should have won at least two more races."

Danzdanzdance was extremely brave in finishing third. She was shuffled back a length or two mid-race, but was still well enough placed mid-field when Matt Cameron asked her sprint at the 600m. Cameron said because of her inexperience she started to climb in her action. There would have been every excuse for her to drop out, but she fought strongly.

Another with real potential is fourth-placed The Mayor. He did a lot of work getting around the field very wide on the home bend, but did not flinch in the closing 400m under Rory Hutchings. Time will be his friend.

• Murray Baker's eight Derby winners, the more recent in partnership with Andrew Forsman:

Sir Vigilant, Wellington Derby which is no longer run. Nom du Jeur, It's A Dundeel, Mongolian Khan and Jon Snow won the Australian Derby at Randwick, Lion Tamer took the Victorian Derby at Flemington and Mongolian Khan and Vin De Dance took the New Zealand Derby.