The $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) will light up Rosehill Racecourse this Saturday April 2 and the 2011 Golden Slipper barrier draw, conducted at midday today, will be crucial for the contenders.

A full field of 16 two-year-olds plus one emergency have been accepted for this year’s Golden Slipper field and with so many lightly-raced juveniles vying for the title of the 2011 Golden Slipper winner today’s barrier allocations will hugely affect the chances each runner has on Saturday.

A number of the young hopefuls will be having just their second or third career start when they jump in the Golden Slipper on Saturday including the Bart Cummings-trained trio of Empress Rock, Salade and first emergency Do You Think.

All three are unbeaten to date having won their race debuts with the Golden Slipper their second career assignments.

The most notable of the Cummings’ contingent is Snitzel colt Salade who burst into Slipper calculations with an upset win in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Guineas Day last Saturday.

Salade jumped from barrier six for his Pago Pago win and Cummings will be hoping for a similar gate for the Slipper.

Last year’s Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily jumped from the inside barrier one, however with some showers predicted for Sydney this weekend the inside of the Rosehill track may not prove the best position to be in.

Stay tuned for the 2011 AAMI Golden Slipper barrier draw.