Andaleep (IRE) won again on Sunday despite been given a +10 lb increase in the ratings. The ratings office had intervened following back to back Class 5 wins at Windsor (7th August) and Beverley (10th August).
The six-year-old gelding had been upped from 70 to 80 after a very convincing four length stroll at Windsor alerted the ratings team. Another comfortable win, this time by 2 and 3/4 lengths at Beverley, ensured that the improver received the weighty penalty.
Trainers, Daniel and Claire Kubler, are in fantastic form this season.
The increase might have appeared to be a little severe, given that Andaleep struggled to finish second off less than 70 in July. However, Sunday’s comfortable win in a competitive 1m 2f handicap at Sandown suggests that there is even more to come from one of this season’s top improvers.
The gelding out of Oriental Magic (ger) by Siyouni (Fr) was sent off at 9/1 for the 5.15 at Sandown – with many, including me, believing that the 10lb increase was too much for him to carry.