Ruud Awakening, the New Zealand filly who represents the biggest Golden Slipper liability for one leading bookmaker, is winning respect from rival trainers and jockeys in Saturday's $3.5 million race.

Beaten only once in six New Zealand starts, Ruud Awakening counts Darley's No.1 jockey Kerrin McEvoy and trainer-on-the-move Bjorn Baker among her fans despite a barrier draw setback.

Ruud Awakening will jump from the outside gate in the 16-horse field at Rosehill, an alley the TAB's Glenn Munsie hopes will contribute to her downfall.

"She is the worst result with us by about three hundred thousand dollars," Munsie told a Golden Slipper breakfast audience on Thursday.

"The money from New Zealand for her has been relentless."

But McEvoy, who will ride $9 second favourite Sidestep for Darley trainer Peter Snowden, says the barrier might not matter too much with Ruud Awakening given she will be ridden by the mercurial Craig Williams.

"Craig Williams can do some special things on the back of a horse," McEvoy said.

"From her draw I would expect her to go forward and be very hard to run down."

Parochial as he may be because he grew up with Ruud Awakening's trainer Stephen Marsh in Woodville in New Zealand, Baker says the filly is entitled to be taken seriously despite the woeful record of Kiwi two-year-olds in Australia's second richest horse race.

"Her form is far superior to any two-year-old that's raced in New Zealand recently," he said.

Baker, who now trains at Warwick Farm, will be represented by Windjammer, a horse emerging as one of the best outsiders.

Marsh said the groundswell of support on two fronts for Ruud Awakening, a $13 chance, was heartening.

"With the more people who think she is the hardest to beat, I'll go with them and hope they are good judges," he said.

One-time pre-post favourite Villa Verde has attracted a $10,000 bet at $17, Munsie reported.

The Victorian filly is back into $15 but more market changes are expected with the prospect of the Slipper being run on a rain-affected track.

Rosehill received 16mm of rain in the 24 hours up to noon on Thursday, forcing a track downgrade to the slow range.

More showers are forecast with Sweet Idea, stablemate to the $2.30 favourite Overreach, tipped to firm on the strength of her Silver Slipper win on a heavy track last month.