Looking Ahead highlights runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are an exceptionally well-bred or high-priced runner early in their career chasing maiden success, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse that has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
Three exciting runners by Captivant, King's Legacy and North Pacific are chasing success across Australia on Saturday.
Southside Pakenham, Race 1, 12.15pm AEDT, Bunyip Equipment 2YO Vobis Silver, $150,000, 1000m
Neotropical, 2-year-old filly (Captivant x I Like Toucans {Shooting To Win})
The John McArdle-trained Neotropical makes her debut at Pakenham over 1000 metres on Saturday. The promising filly by first-season sire Captivant, looks a good chance after winning her last jump-out at Mornington over 790 metres in nice fashion.
Neotropical is out of the unplaced mare I LIke Toucans (Shooting To Win), she has a strong pedigree being a half-sister to the dam of the Listed winner and Group 1 placed Hypothetical (Pride Of Dubai), and to the dam of the Group 1 winning 2-year-old and sire The Mission.
Neotropical as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Neotropical’s grandam Carry On Cutie (More Than Ready {USA}) was classy also, winning the G1 Champagne Stakes, and the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes as a juvenile.
I LIke Toucans, in recent years, has produced a Best Of Bordeaux yearling colt, and foaled a King’s Gambit filly in August.
Neotropical was purchased by Nunkeri Park and Red Gum Racing for $40,000 from the Mullaglass Stud draft at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Beaumont Newcastle, Race 4, 3.50pm AEDT, Rarity Wholesale Provincial Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1350m
Satin’s Legacy, 3-year-old filly (King’s Legacy x Satin Slipper {Pierro})
The Nathan Doyle-trained Satin’s Legacy (King’s Legacy) will make her fifth start at Newcastle on Saturday. She has placed at Muswellbrook and Scone in her last two starts, and she looks close to a win.
Her dam Satin Slipper (Pierro) won the Listed Gimcrack Stakes on the track, and as a broodmare has left the young stallion I Am Unstoppable, who won the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes, and placed in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, another of her progeny, the dual Listed placed Satin Stiletto (Written Tycoon).
King's Legacy | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Her grandam is Satin Shoes (Flying Spur). She was very talented on the track being a 6-time winner, and was successful in the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes, Listed Widden Stakes, Listed Quezette Stakes, and the Listed Ortensia Stakes.
Their are many talented stakes winners that appear in this pedigree including Star Satire (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), Zarzuela (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), and Serious Satire (More Than Ready {USA}).
Satin Slipper, since producing Satin’s Legacy, has left a 2-year-old colt by King’s Legacy, and foaled an I Am Invincible filly in August.
Eagle Farm, Race 3, 2.23pm, AEDT (1.23pm local), Widden’s Jacquinot First Yearlings 2026 QTIS 2YO Handicap, $85,000, 1000m
Rarotonga, 2-year-old gelding (North Pacific x We’s Done {Court Command})
The promising Rarotonga (North Pacific) looks hard to beat in the juvenile event at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainer Paul Shailer. He showed his talent winning on the same track last start in dominant fashion. If he can overcome the bad barrier, he looks very hard to beat.
Rarotonga is the fifth foal out of We’s Done (Court Command), who was a dual winner over 1000 metres. She is well-related being a half sister to Dynamic Love (Brave Warrior), who was a three-time stakes winner, and Key Bar Nights (Anabaa {USA}), who was successful at Listed level, and has also produced the dual Listed winning sprinter Barbed (Canny Lad).
Rarotonga as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Another talented family member is Top Knight (Zoustar), who was the Champion 3-year-old in Singapore, and was successful at Listed level four times.
In recent years, We’s Done has produced a Better Than Ready yearling filly, and she missed to both Capitalist and King’s Gambit last spring.
Rarotonga was originally purchased by Holbrook Thoroughbreds for $60,000 from the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the 2024 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, before being sold again at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was purchased by Mishani Enterprises from the Robyn Wise draft for $70,000.
Looking Back
Always Yours (Dundeel {NZ}) - Disappointed at Geelong running seventh.
Mansory (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) - Ran seventh on debut at Geelong, he looks like he will appreciate further.
