Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle |
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| Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle, Sandown 15:00 £70,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 216y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 11th March 2017 | |
1 London Prize 10/1
2
Fixe Le Kap 5/1F
3
Darebin 25/1
13 ran Distances: 1l, 3½l, 1¼l
Time: 4m 3.80s (slow by 18.80s)
London Prize makes capital gains under Tom O'Brien
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Trainer Ian Williams enjoyed a silver lining on what had initially been a frustrating day after London Prize claimed victory at Sandown.
Williams failed to make it to the track after his car broke down on the M40, with the Alcester handler forced to celebrate the Grade Three success away from the action.
He said: "The racing has gone a bit better than the car!
"We got past the services on the M40 near Warwick and had to pull over on the hard shoulder between Warwick and Gaydon.
"That happened at about 12.30pm and the plan was to get to the track just after the first race, but by the time the recovery truck came it was too late.
"It was a shame I was not there to watch it as Sandown is one of my favourite tracks and it is not every day you win an Imperial Cup. It was a fantastic win.
"It's a shame I didn't have an investment in him as it would have paid for the bill on the car!"
Having been given a confidence-boosting outing on the Flat at Newcastle last month after he fell in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh, London Prize's jumping stood the test to claim the biggest win of his career to date.
The 10-1 shot picked up Darebin approaching the final flight and stayed on in determined fashion under Tom O'Brien to keep Fixe Le Kap, who was having his first start in almost a year, at bay by a length.
Williams added: "He got shuffled a good way back off a slow pace and I thought he had plenty to do turning for home.
"Fortunately, he picked up well and held off the Henderson horse, who is pretty talented, with a good way back to third."
Williams could continue to mix London Prize between both codes, having earmarked a possible tilt at the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May.
The trainer added: "He has got a bright future ahead of him in staying handicaps on the Flat.
"The owner lives near Haydock so he could end up in the Swinton Hurdle, but we will keep a close eye what he is doing on the Flat.
"He's a horse that has got plenty of options and he has the size and scope to jump a fence.
"He's only a young horse, so I don't think we will confuse him with that yet, but he has schooled over fences to help him jump his hurdles."
Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle
£70,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 216y, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places in back straight)
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | London Prize 10/1 | T J O'Brien 11-2 |
Ian Williams | 6 | |
| 2nd | 1 | Fixe Le Kap (FR) 5/1f | D A Jacob 11-12 |
N J Henderson | 5 |
| 3rd | 3½ | Darebin (GER) 25/1 | Joshua Moore 10-11 |
G L Moore | 5 |
| 4th | 1¼ | Spice Fair 20/1 | Mr Z Baker (7) 11-1 |
M D I Usher | 10 |
| 5th | ½ | Not Another Muddle 6/1 | J E Moore 10-8 |
G L Moore | 6 |
| 6th | ¾ | Bigmartre (FR) 16/1 | J McGrath 11-8 |
H Whittington | 6 |
| 7th | 3 | William H Bonney 11/2 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-8 |
A King | 6 |
| 8th | 1½ | Kayf Blanco 7/1 | Kielan Woods 11-9 |
G McPherson | 8 |
| 9th | 1 | Chieftain's Choice (IRE) 10/1 | Thomas Bellamy 10-9 |
Kevin Frost | 8 |
| 10th | 14 | Gassin Golf 8/1 | Mr Richard Patrick (7) 11-7 |
Kerry Lee | 8 |
| PU | Max Do Brazil (FR) 14/1 | T Scudamore 11-2 |
D Pipe | 5 | |
| PU | Disputed (IRE) 10/1 | Tom Cannon 10-13 |
C Gordon | 7 | |
| F | Prairie Town (IRE) 40/1 | Lee Edwards 11-1 |
A W Carroll | 6 |
