Sights will be set firmly on Rosehill Gardens in Sydney’s west on Saturday when a capacity field steps out for the 2024 Golden Slipper.
The world’s richest race for two-year-olds always draws plenty of intrigue, but with the likes of Storm Boy and Switzerland going head-to-head for the first time, alongside many other standouts juveniles this year, we are set for one of the biggest editions of the race in recent memory.
If you are yet to do the form, don’t worry! You can find my comprehensive runner-by-runner 2024 Golden Slipper preview below.
2024 Golden Slipper Betting Strategy
- 3 Units Storm Boy (Win)
- 1 Unit Coleman (Each Way)
1 – Storm Boy (2)
Undefeated galloper and a justifiable favourite in 2024 Golden Slipper betting.
Stamped himself as one to watch with consecutive wins in Sydney and Brisbane before giving them a galloping lesson in the Magic Millions Classic.
Returned to action with another easy win in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes and is in peak order this week, while the booking of reigning Golden Slipper winner Ryan Moore adds further confidence. Standout top pick.
2 – Fully Lit (1)
Won each of his first two career starts, including the lucrative Inglis Millennium at Randwick last month.
Was a month between runs before finishing second, well beaten by Holmes A Court in the Group 3 Black Opal at Canberra last time out.
Does strip fitter for that, but would need to find a few lengths to trouble a couple of the Golden Slipper betting favourites.
3 – Shangri La Express (3)
Debuted last year for consecutive wins in the Kirkham Plate and Golden Gift, and was subsequently popular in early Golden Slipper betting.
Returned to action to finish second, beaten less than a length by Switzerland in the Pierro Plate, but was rather comfortably accounted for by the same galloper and stablemate, Straight Charge, in the Todman Plate last time out.
Requires substantial improvement from that hit-out to fight into the finish of something like this.
4 – Rue De Royale (14)
Rue De Royale is a five-start maiden and has opened the rank outsider in 2024 Golden Slipper betting ($201 at publish).
Was OK when second in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington last time out, but drops in trip and faces a huge rise in class.
5 – Traffic Warden (6)
Traffic Warden won the VRC Sires’ Produce at his latest appearance, but the form out of that race doesn’t look to be as strong as any of the Sydney lead-ups.
Craig Williams takes the ride from a good draw, but happy to take on at what looks an appropriate price in Golden Slipper betting ($34 at publish).
6 – Straight Charge (9)
Yet to turn in a poor performance and has attracted interest in Golden Slipper betting after Tuesday’s barrier draw.
Returned to action with an eye-catching performance and win in the Group 2 Silver Slipper and completed his tune-up when second, beaten less than a length by Switzerland in the Todman Stakes.
Timmy Clark understandably keeps the ride, and he does look the be the best chance for Golden Slipper specialist, Gai Waterhouse this year.
7 – Switzerland (7)
Other than Storm Boy, the only undefeated galloper engaged in the 2024 Golden Slipper field, and the second favourite in betting this week.
Stamped himself as a colt to follow with a dominant win on debut in late January and has since added the Pierro Plate and the Todman Stakes to his CV.
Hard fit, James McDonald keeps the ride from an ideal gate, and he would not look out of place in the 2024 Golden Slipper winner’s stall.
8 – Bodyguard (10)
Recorded the second win of his career when returning to action in the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts & geldings in February.
Finished fourth, beaten nearly three lengths in the Blue Diamond Stakes last time out, and others coming through that race have more appeal in the Golden Slipper.
9 – Dublin Down (13)
Dublin Down was well beaten in the Blue Diamond Stakes at his first run back from a break, but enjoyed improvement into a nice win in the Pago Pago Stakes over this route last week.
Fitter third-up, a lot more improvement is required for him to trouble a few of his Golden Slipper rivals.
10 – Coleman (4)
Coleman looks to be one of the more intriguing runners in the 2024 Golden Slipper field, and he could prove to be the value at big odds ($34 at publish).
Coleman was nothing short of outstanding at each of his first two career starts, winning consecutive black type features, but nothing went right in the Blue Diamond Stakes and finished down the order.
Having arrived in Sydney and tuned up with a fair effort in the Pago Pago Stakes, improvement is quite obviously required, but he has talent by the bucket load, and was one of the real winners at Tuesday’s Golden Slipper barrier draw.
11 – Holmes A Court (8)
Holmes A Court has improved with each of three starts since debuting and looks to be a genuine top three or four chance in the Golden Slipper.
Having finished just over half a length second in the Blue Diamond Preview on debut at Caulfield in January, the Capitalist colt was freshened after running third in the Prelude, and beat home some decent types in the Black Opal Stakes at his latest.
Tom Marquand and a central draw are both positives for him, he’d just need everything to go his way to be in the finish again.
12 – Prost (11)
Prost is yet to miss placing in three career starts, returning to action to win the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes here last month, before finishing second behind Storm Boy in the Skyline Stakes.
Fitter third-up and under Adam Hyeronimus, he certainly isn’t the worst $51 chance in the 2024 Golden Slipper field.
13 – Hayasugi (16)
The best two-year-old filly in the country, and Hayasugi seems to have been somewhat forgotten again in 2024 Golden Slipper betting! ($15 at publish).
Completed a perfect run of form through the Blue Diamond Series, winning the Fillies’ Preview and Prelude before mustering a big turn of foot to win the Group 1 feature at her latest.
Jamie Kah is up in Sydney to take the ride, and while Hayasugi draw barrier 16, I don’t consider it to be as bad as it seems on face value – she’ll settle off the pace regardless.
14 – Lady Of Camelot (5)
Lady Of Camelot returned to action last month, breaking her maiden in the Widden Stakes here at Rosehill Gardens, before running second behind Hayasugi in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
She has been kept up to the mark with a nice trial since that race, and she was a real winner at Tuesday’s Golden Slipper barrier draw.
Interestingly, she has opened at shorter odds in Golden Slipper betting than Hayasugi.
15 – Manaal (17)
Manaal won the Gimcrack Stakes on debut last September, and after resuming for second behind Lady Of Camelot in the Widden Stakes, she returned to winning form in the Sweet Embrace last time out.
Fitter third-up, she clearly has plenty of ability, she her chances took a huge blow when she draw the carpark on Tuesday morning.
16 – Eneeza (15)
Having broken her maiden in Listed company back in December, Eneeza returned to action with a decent performance, though well beaten by Coleman in the Chairman’s Stakes.
She kept her best work for late when fourth, beaten just over a length in the Blue Diamond Stakes last month and has been kept fresh of this race.
She has ability, but is another who needs plenty of luck from a wide draw.
17 – Espionage (12)
Espionage is the first and only emergency in the 2024 Golden Slipper field.
He worked home well into second behind Straight Charge in the Silver Slipper when returned from a break, but was quite a way off them I the Todman Stakes a fortnight ago.