Golden Slipper 2024 Barrier Draw & Final Field

Only three horses have completed the Magic Millions 2YO Classic/Golden Slipper winning double, with Capitalist (2016) the last horse to achieve it, although the 2.5-length Gold Coast victory from Storm Boy (barrier 2) did rate very well.

The son of Justify made it four-from-four with a return win in the Skyline Stakes on March 2 and Ryan Moore takes the Golden Slipper engagment, with the champion European jockey searching for back-to-back wins in this two-year-old major.

Storm Boy is one of seven Golden Slipper runners from the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott yard and Straight Charge (barrier 9) is arguably their second seed, with the Silver Slipper winner being on the thid line of betting pre-barrier draw.

Following a slick debut victory at Randwick on January 27, Switzerland (barrier 7) was a big firmer in the 2024 Golden Slipper market, while he followed that first win up with subsequent triumphs in the Pierro Plate and Todman Stakes.

The same connections of Switzerland (Coolmore/Chris Waller) combined with Shinzo, who won last year's Golden Slipper.

James Cummings and Godolphin are aiming for their second Golden Slipper winner, and their their sole acceptaqnce in 2024 is Traffic Warden (barrier 6), who will drop in trip after taking out the Group VRC Sires' (1400m) on March 9.

He's one of seven runners in the Golden Slipper who contested the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and that includes Hayasugi (barrier 16), who made it a winning hat-trick in that Melbourne feature despite having to sustain a wide run from off the speed.

The Clinton McDonald filly is aiming to become just the sixth two-year-old to complete the Blue Diamond/Golden Slipper winning double and Sepoy was the last to achieve that back in 2011.

Interestingly, Hayasugi was the first galloper since Sepoy to win a Preview, Prelude and Blue Diamond. 

Although Coleman (barrier 4) disappointed as a beaten favourite in the Blue Diamond Stakes, the Matt Laurie-trained colt put in an encouraging performance last Saturday when third in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes, which was won by Dublin Down (barrier 13).

Shinzo followed the same path last year when backing up from the Pago Pago to win the Golden Slipper seven days later.

Peter & Paul Snowden have dual representation through Bodyguard (barrier 10) and Holmes A Court (barrier 8), while last-start Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Manaal (barrier 17) leads the charge from the Michael Freedman stable.