Progressive juvenile Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) will get another tilt at black-type when he contests Saturday’s Listed Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe.

The Samantha Logan-trained son of Ardrossan finished third in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa last start behind smart juveniles Solidify (NZ) (Redwood) and Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon).

That performance followed a debut runner-up finish at Hawke’s Bay behind What You Wish For and the Lib Petagna bred and raced gelding has continued to improve.

“He has just learnt a lot each start and the third last time at Te Rapa was a strong run against a good group of horses so we were very happy,” Logan said.

“It was an off-track at Te Rapa and he was wide. Glamour Tycoon was outside him and she came across him a bit in the straight. He kept going and fighting to the line and he wasn’t far off Solidify who is obviously very smart.

“I’m pleased with him heading into Saturday.”

To again be ridden by Kozzi Asano, Saltcoats is a $3.80 joint favourite with the Mark Walker-trained Egyptian Queen (NZ) (Zoustar).