The Te Akau-trained galloper will jump from barrier 12 when he looks to add another prestige race in his meteoric rise to the top of Australasia's 3yr-old staying ranks.
Gingernuts held favouritism at $3.50 following yesterday's barrier draw, ahead of Inference and fellow Kiwi Jon Snow.
The favourite's wide barrier - second from the outside - may not be an issue at the end of the 2400m race, given Sydney's recent run of heavy tracks is expected to continue on Saturday.
The Randwick track had improved from a heavy8 on Monday into the soft range by yesterday morning, but showers are predicted for tomorrow.
No matter what weather eventuates, it should matter little as the chestnut has already won group 1 races on good and heavy-rated tracks.
''The track on Saturday isn't going to worry us at all,'' Richards said.
''They might think he goes better on soft ground here, but he can go on anything.''
Gingernuts got his first look at the Randwick course this week and impressed Richards with his work.
''He did a little bit of work on Saturday morning and this morning he worked over 1200 metres on the course proper at Randwick with one of Gai Waterhouse's horses.''
''It gave him a good look around and he did all that was expected of him.''
Richards is confident Gingernuts can hold his brilliant recent form and hold out his favoured rivals, Inference and the Tulloch Stakes-winning Jon Snow.
''I thought Jon Snow was quite impressive last Saturday and he looks like he has improved, and Prized Icon also ran very well and he will go in a very fit horse.''
''But our horse has been racing very well all the way through against good opposition and I couldn't be any happier with him.''
Wherever Gingernuts finishes in Saturday's Derby, he will fly home on Monday to be set for a Melbourne spring campaign, Richards said.
Le Romain, a last-start runner-up to Winx in the George Ryder Stakes, heads betting markets for Saturday's Doncaster Handicap.
The Kris Lees-trained galloper is rated a $6 favourite among 20 confirmed runners and three emergencies to have accepted for the 1600m feature.
Of the those 23 horses, only Le Romain, Hauraki, Happy Clapper and McCreery are rated less than $10 chances by bookmakers.
Chautauqua, the winner of more than $A6.7 million in stakes, is shooting for three straight wins in another group 1 race, the T.J Smith Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.
If the grey can win, it will be his first victory on Australian soil since he triumphed in the race last year.
- Additional reporting by NZ Racing Desk
