Catkins will likely start the favourite in Saturday's 2014 Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart.

Chris Waller’s Group 1 performer Catkins drops back in class this weekend as the headline acceptor for the 2014 Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill Racecourse.

One of the major non-Group 1 support races on a huge Golden Slipper Day program on Saturday, this year’s $175,000 Group 2 Ascend Sales Trophies Emancipation Stakes (1500m) attracted a field of 11 fillies and mares.

Heading those acceptors is Dubawi four-year-old Catkins in gate six with Hugh Bowman aboard.

Bowman has been in the saddle for all three of the flying grey’s runs this time in.

Two of those were wins firstly in the Group 2 Breeders Classic over Steps In Time and then in the Group 3 Wiggle Stakes by two lengths.

She put in a brave effort then last start at the track on March 22 carrying a big weight (58kg) from a wide gate (13 of 16) to run third to Steps In Time in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).

She gets the same suitable distance here, the Myer Classic runner-up from the spring set to thrive against an easier field going back to the 56kg under set weights plus penalties.

Also coming off a crack last start performance is the Nigel Blackiston-trained You’re So Good to jump from barrier two on Saturday.

The Savabeel four-year-old has run top three in all three of her starts in this autumn, most recently doing an excellent job late to finish a close third to Text’N Hurley in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley where she over raced early and got caught wide.

The only last start winner in the mix meanwhile is the Gai Waterhouse-trained Diamond Drille who has come up with barrier one.

The Al Maher mare ran a below par eighth in the Wiggle Stakes to Catkins two back where the rails didn’t suit, so she’ll have to get a better run here to challenge.

She did however thrive from barrier four (of 12) last start on March 15 at Randwick to win the Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) in a final stride victory over Mahara.

Waterhouse will also be represented in this year’s Emancipation Stakes by Vaquera drawn at the opposite end of the field out wide in 10.

This High Chaparral four-year-old ran third in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) last year so can handle plenty of distance, and also has a Group 3 Newcastle win over 1400m to her name from September.

This time in her form hasn’t been very impressive however including her dead last behind Junoob in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) last time out.

A post-race check revealed there was nothing wrong with Vaquera and Waterhouse had no excuses for the effort, simply hoping she can bounce back here.

Other notable Emancipation Stakes hopes then include the Kris Lees-trained Sharnee Rose and Peter Moody’s Tattersall’s Tiara third placegetter Floria, both also looking to return to form and improve on their last start efforts.

Wiggle Stakes runner-up Sharnee Rose was seventh in the Coolmore where she weakened in the final furlong after threating with a top three finish, while first-up Tressday Stakes runner-up Floria got caught way back for her eighth in the Sunline.

Check out the full Emancipation Stakes 2014 field, barriers and jockeys below then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to open your account with the bookie paying customers in cash with their exclusive EFTPOS Card system this autumn!

2014 Emancipation Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Rosehill Race 4 – 2:20pm (AEST) – 04/05/2014