Sepoy may be the hot favourite in the 2011 Golden Slipper betting but fellow unbeaten juvenile Karuta Queen showed this year’s Golden Slipper Stakes showdown would be no one-horse affair with a scintillating barrier trial win at Canberra last Sunday.

Neville Layt’s Not A Single Doubt filly Karuta Queen enjoyed a stunning 13 ½ length victory in a 900m hitout at Canberra on the weekend proving she was still firmly on track for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 2.

She finished in a time of 51.34 seconds, a time that could have been quicker had she not been eased up just before the winning post.

Karuta Queen has won all four of her race starts to date as has Peter Snowden’s Elusive Quality colt and recent Blue Diamond Stakes champion Sepoy.

After storming home to an emphatic 4 ½ length win in the $1 million Blue Diamond last Saturday, Sepoy shortened into the pronounced $2.45 favourite in the pre-post Golden Slipper odds at Luxbet.

The Golden Slipper, however, is a different arena than the Diamond and at $9 through Luxbet Karuta Queen looks excellent value to cause an upset 2011 Golden Slipper result.

After taking out the Wyong Magic Millions Classic in December, Karuta Queen bought her form to Queensland and was the runaway winner of the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on January 15.

Last Sunday the Queen ran in her first barrier trial since then at Canberra where she scored by an astounding margin and gave the warning that punters should not forget about her in the Golden Slipper betting just yet.

Queanbeyan-based trainer Layt is considering the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on March 12 as a final hit-out for his star filly before Karuta Queen takes them on in the Golden Slipper.

He will also nominate her for the Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on March 13 with a decision on which she will contest to be made shortly.

This year’s Golden Slipper should be a cracker with three other unbeaten two-year-olds at the top of the market.

Satin Shoes ($10), the John Thompson-trained Pane In The Glass ($15) and Anthony Cummings’ Smart Missile ($18) all have flawless race records to date leading up to the Golden Slipper Stakes.

Clarry Conner’s Flying Spur filly Satin Shoes took her record to three from three with a good win in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill last Saturday.

Satin Shoes is also a possible runner in the Sweet Embrace Stakes along with Karuta Queen leading up to the Golden Slipper and the face-off of the fillies will be one not to miss.

The Sweet Embrace Stakes is the race last year’s Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily won on way to her victory in the richest two-year-olds event in the world just over 12 months ago.

View the full 2011 Golden Slipper betting odds at Luxbet now and jump on the generous early prices for your favourites before prices shorten!

Photo courtesy (c) Steve Hart Photographics