London motors to Sandown success for absent Williams

London Prize, who fell when still to be asked a question in a valuable handicap at Musselburgh last month, showed what he can do when he stays on his feet as he captured the Matchbook Imperial Cup under Tom O'Brien at Sandown on Saturday.

The six-year-old, who has been successfully mixing Flat racing with jumps, suffered no mishaps as he collared and then forged past Darebin at the last flight before holding the late effort of topweight Fixe Le Kap.

Instead it was trainer Ian Williams who was held up en route and had to watch the race unfold from home in Alvechurch after his car broke down on the M42 at Warwick.

His Audi will need to be replaced but the trainer secured a welcome down payment on the next vehicle after London Prize's victory in the £70,000 pre-Cheltenham Festival showpiece.

"I had a fuel leak on the car and it will have to be replaced unfortunately," Williams said. "Once a car lets you down it's got to go. We had only got to Warwick but we were stranded and it took time to get the car recovered, but I managed to get home in time to watch the race."

Stranded: Ian Williams' car on the side of the motorway

London Prize is a novice having only his fifth start over jumps but has never been out of the first three in completed starts and has now won five times in all for Williams since he was bought out of John Ferguson's yard for £70,000 in April.

The 10-1 chance had a length in hand over Fixe Le Kap at the line with Darebin holding on to third place.

"He doesn't have much experience and was travelling very nicely when he tipped up at Musselburgh," Williams said. "While the ground concerned me, he had a nice weight in a competitive handicap.

"His performances on the Flat have been very good as well so if he settled and travelled he had to have a chance."

London Prize was not rated high enough to be engaged in any of the handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival but may have a brighter future on the Flat.

"He is a potentially very good hurdler and the potential he has shown on the Flat is probably better than he has shown over hurdles," the trainer added. "There are lots of decent staying Flat races and decent hurdle races. He has a very diverse but bright future."

London Prize and Tom O'Brien (centre) get the better of Fix Le Kap (right) and DarebinCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Winning owner John Forsyth said: "My wife Margaret and I haven't had jumpers for 30 years as we lost the first two, including one we had at home for two years as a store horse. This is the 17th winner we have had in the last 18 months and I'm having the best time of my life."

Fixe Le Kap was staying on well on his his first start for a year having a wind operation.

Trainer Nicky Henderson said: "He's run a very good race. Unfortunately he loves soft ground so we'll have to try to find somewhere suitable to run, but he's all about chasing next year anyway."

Result and analysis