Baker confident he has horsepower to close deal at last Great shape: It's A Dundeel. Only a fortnight ago Murray Baker endured the stress that comes with an injury setback to a star galloper at its peak, as It's A Dundeel battled a hoof abscess that threatened to derail its Cox Plate campaign. On Tuesday though it was his horse's arch rival, Atlantic Jewel, which was struck down just days before the weight-for-age championship, immediately turning the focus to Baker and his new Cox Plate favourite. Although the racing public has been robbed of a rematch between the two superstar gallopers, Baker has been presented with a chance to grab his first Cox Plate win at his fifth attempt following appearances by The Phantom (twice), Nom De Jeu and Lion Tamer. "I don't worry about pressure or any of that, this is my fifth Cox Plate and I've never had much luck here, that's the way it's gone," he said. Lion Tamer broke his leg here two years ago but that's racing and one day it will turn. Baker is pinning his hopes this year on a quiet stallion he says is a dream to train, which makes It's A Dundeel the opposite of previous Baker-trained contestants Lion Tamer and Nom De Jeu, which were known for their quirks. Baker knows the son of High Chaparral is the right horse for such a treasured race. "This horse is very easy to train, nothing worries him and he's just a relaxed horse," he said. We've never had a problem with this horse beside his foot abscess. Lion Tamer had a few tricks, he was a strange horse, used to stop halfway through trackwork and look around. Initially cautious about It's A Dundeel's Cox Plate prospects following an awkward barrier draw of 13 in the field of 14, Baker was only more optimistic following the scratching of Atlantic Jewel, which pushed his horse to the limits in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. "We've got a wide barrier but that's the way the cookie crumbles," he said. We'll just take our chances and that's the way it is. We'll have our show and at least we'll have room to make our run, we're not on the fence. After an impressive track gallop at Caulfield last Saturday between races, Baker did not ask race-day jockey James McDonald to take It's A Dundeel beyond three-quarter pace at Tuesday's morning gallop at Moonee Valley, knowing the hard work had already been done. "He had a serious hit-out at Caulfield and pinged along a bit and we do think that he's tightened up a bit, he really looks great," Baker said. This morning just topped him off and James said that he felt terrific. You can't beat going around Moonee Valley, it's got to help you a bit, but we were pretty happy with him this morning but more importantly the rider was happy with him and I've got great trust in his opinion.