The 60^th running of the Golden Slipper Stakes from an original stake of $20,000, over those 60 years the stake has steadily risen to $3.5 million, making it the richest two year old race in the world.

When entries closed midway through last year, 2006 horses were nominated , the highest entries ever, at least a third of the foals born in a single year are entered ,“ The Slipper “,as it is affectionately known, is the dream of every race horse owner, dreams of a race that can turn an owner into an instant millionaire.

If the winner is a colt, a deal is often done to stand him at stud, before the presentation of the trophy you cannot allow the grass to grow too long under your feet.

A total of 304 horses are second acceptors, at present that number will be considerably reduced to 16 at post time, with four emergencies.

The Slipper was the brain child of George Ryder, he had developed Woodlands into a highly successful stud and as he was a committeeman of the Sydney Turf Club, he was always looking at ways to promote the race Club.

In that era the Sydney Turf Club was struggling, they didn’t get big fields for reasons unbeknown, Ryder set about coming up with a new name for a race, the idea was alright but he was lost for a name.

He was for weeks trying to find a name for the race that was suitable, but without much success.

Driving up to Woodlands, his stud at Denman, he turned to his wife, Dorothy, asking, “what would be a special gift for a new born baby?”

“A slipper she said,” “what sort of slipper”, he asked? she replied, “ a golden one,” he didn’t want to hear any more, that was the birth of the Golden Slipper, the dream of every owner.

The very first Golden Slipper Stakes of 1957 was won by Stanley Wootton’s colt, Todman, trained by Maurice McCarten, the only person ever to win a metropolitan jockey’s premiership and a trainer’s premiership.

Todman was ridden by Neville Sellwood, the colt was by Star Kingdom who sired the first five winners of the Golden Slipper.

Star Kingdom has proved a dominant factor in the pedigrees of Golden Slipper winners, at least a third can be traced to the son of Stardust.

Lee Freedman trained the winner in four successive years, Danzero, Flying Spur, Bint Marscay and Merlene.