More Joyous is out to claim her fifth Group 1 win in the Queen of the Turf Stakes on Saturday

Rosehill Racecourse will come to life this Saturday April 2 with the running of Golden Slipper Day 2011, the bumper nine-race programme featuring no less than five Group 1 showdowns including the $400,000 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500m).

A weight-for-age race for fillies and mares, the 2011 Queen of the Turf Stakes has attracted a diminutive but classy field of just seven runners.

Raging favourite is the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous, the glamour mare seeking her fourth consecutive win this preparation.

A four-time Group 1 winning daughter of boom sire More Than Ready, four-year-old More Joyous has won the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m), Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and most recently the Group 2 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) by an easy three lengths already this year.

With the ideal barrier two draw for the Queen of the Turf, just six rivals of her own kind to face that she meets equally in the weights, More Joyous looks nearly impossible to beat on Saturday.

Waterhouse will also be represented by Montana Flyer in the Queen of the Turf Stakes field this year, her Flying Spur five-year-old having won the Group 3 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) in February before running sixth to Aloha in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) last start.

In the Coolmore Montana Flyer drew unsuitably wide with barrier 12 and she will advantage hugely on Saturday having come up trumps with gate one, due to be ridden by Tommy Berry.

Tommy Berry has a big day of racing ahead of him on Saturday, his major assignment being in the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) aboard Magic Millions winning filly Karuta Queen.

Other notable acceptors whose connections are game enough to take on the mighty More Joyous in the 2011 Queen of the Turf Stakes include:

• Melito (Gerald Ryan) – Dual Group 1 winner took out the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) first-up this season, the Redoute’s Choice mare then ran fifth in the Chipping Norton Stakes before finishing third as the beaten favourite when out-weighted with 59kg in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic last start – drops back to a more manageable 57kg on Saturday
• Jersey Lily (Les Bridge) – Won a listed race at Warwick Farm before running second in the Coolmore Classic last start, steps up in the weights but has claims

The 2011 Inglis Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500m) will take place as Rosehill Race 3 on Saturday at 1:05pm (AEDST).

Stay tuned to Races.com.au throughout the week for the best Golden Slipper Day coverage including race fields, betting previews and results.

2011 Inglis Queen of the Turf Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights