Rosehill’s coveted Golden Slipper Day, the biggest event on the Sydney autumn carnival calendar, is set to take place this Easter Saturday featuring nine elite events to excite and entertain the crowds.

The headline race at the meeting, the one everyone will be there to watch and bet on, is the illustrious $3.5million Group 1 AAMI Golden Slipper (1200m), featuring 15 of the nation’s most promising and talented two-year-olds.

Currently the pre-race favourite for the 2010 Golden Slipper is unbeaten Gold Coast-trained filly Military Rose, the brilliant and versatile juvenile sitting at the top of the betting markets at $3.80 with IASbet.

But a wide barrier eight draw for Military Rose and uncertain track conditions have opened the 2010 Golden Slipper field right up, with any number of talented youngsters well positioned to take out the title.

Other top contenders include the Gai Waterhouse-trained colt Brightexpectations drawn ideally in barrier four and coming straight off an impressive win in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), Beneteau in barrier six with Michael Rodd aboard, and two fast starting fillies Crystal Lily and Chance Bye drawn in barriers one and three respectively.

The two opening races at Rosehill on Saturday are Listed events to draw in the spectators, but the first Group status race of the day will be race three at 1:05pm, the $400, 000 Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes, also known as the Storm Queen Stakes.

16 brilliant three-year-old fillies are set to take to the track in the 2010 Vinery Stud Stakes including the Bart Cummings-trained Faint Perfume currently battling for favouritism with the likes of Valdemoro and the Peter Moody’s Set For Fame.

Following the Storm Queen Stakes is another excellent Group 1 race, the $400, 000 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500m). This year the Queen of the Turf Stakes’ betting has been totally dominated by Australia’s highest rated mare, Typhoon Tracy in barrier 10.

Typhoon Tracy, a winner of nine of her 12 career starts, faces some of her toughest competition on Saturday including another from the Gai Waterhouse stable, More Joyous in barrier six, and the well positioned Sister Madly in barrier one.

Race five on the card for Saturday is the second biggest and most lucrative race at the meeting, the highly anticipated $2.25million Group 1 The BMW (2400m). Again, premier Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has the odds-on favourite in the event with Theseo in barrier eight.

Following race seven, the Golden Slipper, two more quality group races will take place to finish off a sensational day of racing.

Race eight is the $150, 000 Group 2 MYER Tulloch Stakes (2000m) featuring staying champions trained by many of Australia’s best trainers. The line-up includes the Peter Snowden-trained Kidnapped in barrier eight, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Descarado in barrier seven and two from the stables of John Thompson, Count Encosta (barrier one) and Shamardashing (barrier five).

The closing race at Rosehill on Saturday will be the $125, 000 Group 3 The Sebring Stakes (1100m), an exciting sprint dash featuring Swift Alliance and the David Payne-trained More Than Great.

Rosehill Race Programme – Golden Slipper Day – Saturday April 3:

Unbeaten filly Military Rose remains the favourite for this Saturday’s $3.5million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) despite drawing barrier eight in the 15 horse field for the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.

Prepared by Gold Coast trainer Gillian Heinrich, the impressive daughter of General Nediym is still sitting as the odds-on favourite for the 2010 Golden Slipper currently at $3.70, drifting from $3.60 post barrier draw, with IASbet.

A winner of all five of her career starts, the brown filly has already earned in excess of $1.5 million over her short career, and jockey Stathi Katsidis is confident she can win again on Saturday despite her less than ideal barrier draw.

Victory on Easter Saturday will catapult Military Rose into the history books as she will become the first filly ever to take out the Magic Millions 2YO Classic – Golden Slipper double.

Military Rose’s biggest threat is Crystal Lily who was has come up trumps in the barrier draw having secured the coveted inside running with barrier one. Winner of the Sweet Embrace Stakes last start Crystal Lily is a rising star destined for great things and her ideal barrier draw sees her become a huge danger on Saturday with IASbet shortening her odds accordingly to $5 second favourite.

Crystal Lily’s connections will be over the moon with her draw after paying a hefty late entry fee of $150, 000 to secure her spot in the 2010 Golden Slipper.

Another promising juvenile with the ability and now the draw to lead early on is More Than Ready colt Brightexpectations. From the stables of premier Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse, Brightexpectations burst into contention for this year’s Golden Slipper when he claimed an emphatic victory last weekend in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes. Brightexpectations will jump from barrier four.

Chance Bye is also an excellent contender in the 2010 Golden Slipper, the daughter of Snitzel having won all three of her race starts to date. The Silver Slipper Stakes winner has an impressive natural gate speed and this fast moving filly represents good value currently at $13 after having drawn well with barrier three; a barrier that will allow her to get to the front early and perhaps lead all the way.

Chance Bye will be ridden by hoop Kathy O’Hara who is aiming to become the first female jockey to win the Golden Slipper.

Golden Slipper hopefuls that did not fare so well with the barriers include the David Hayes-trained Shaaheq on the far outside in 15 and Waterhouse’s other starter More Strawberries in 14.

For more of the latest news and updates on the 2010 Golden Slipper visit www.races.com.au.

Final Field & Barriers for 2010 AAMI Golden Slipper:

The major drawcard of the day is the $250 000 Inglis Classic (1200m), which is restricted to two year old horses purchased at the Inglis Classic sale last year, and has a field of ten impressive youngsters ready to make their mark.

Only two fillies are contesting the event, Chance Bye and Boomshakalaka. The Marc Conners-trained Boomshakalaka has drawn the coveted barrier one and will be ridden by Tye Angland.

But it is Chance Bye, drawn wide with the far outside barrier ten that has been named as the one to beat. Trained by Michael Tubman, the undefeated daughter of Snitzel is coming off a thrilling win in the Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick and has been installed as the odds-on favourite for Saturday.

She is sure to face some formidable competition as the high calibre of rivals includes the Grahame Begg-trained Ilovethiscity (br. 6) due to be ridden by star hoop Nash Rawiller, and Rick Worthington’s Third Man, drawn ideally in barrier two.

Third Man is by the same thriving first season sire as the warm favourite Chance Bye, Snitzel.

The Mark de Montfort-trained Travaldo has finally had some success with the barrier draw, the young gelding jumping from barrier four. Travaldo has drawn poorly in the majority of his starts, but on Saturday with Mitchell Bell aboard he will be making the most of his natural gate speed and hopefully find a forward position early on.

The Racing NSW Rewards Club Inglis Classic is scheduled to run as race five at the meeting’s cracker eight-event programme and will jump at 3:50pm (NSW time).

2010 Inglis Classic Final Field & Preview: