Black-type next for Pendeloque after win

Pendeloque has earned a crack at black-type with her second win from two starts this campaign.

Bloodied but unbowed, Pendeloque will be set for her black-type debut after staying unbeaten this preparation with a convincing win at Randwick.

Despite being galloped on during Saturday’s ATC Membership Sprint (1200m), Pendeloque stuck to her task to claim back-to-back wins at Randwick and add next month’s Group Two Light Fingers Stakes to her schedule.

Pendeloque’s win by a neck came hard on the heels of trainer Gerald Ryan’s success with Problem Solver in the Magic Millions Maiden on the Gold Coast with both horses owned by David Raphael’s Stallion Racing.

Although Randwick was secondary to the Magic Millions carnival on Saturday, Ryan’s foreman son Blake was thrilled with the three-year-old’s victory.

“There wouldn’t be a horse in the country that tries as hard as this filly. She’s no world beater but you can lead on her, you can take a sit. She’s eats her feed, pins her ears back and has a dig,” Ryan said.

He said Pendeloque, who won first-up over 1100m a fortnight ago, would target the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 17.

“We’ll aim at a race like the Light Fingers with her while she’s fit and going well.”

Pendeloque ($4.40) won by a neck from From Within ($7.50).

Jockey James Innes Jr was full of praise for Pendeloque.

The apprentice realised she had been galloped on before rounding the turn but knew she would keep going.

“Another horse would throw in the towel but not her,” he said.

“I felt her get galloped on at a crucial stage and I put the stick away because she was giving 110 per cent anyway.

“She’s only a little thing but she tries her heart out.”