Potential jumper scores strong Sandown win

Annus Mirabilis may have earned a reprieve from jumps racing for the short-term with his victory in a staying contest at Sandown.

The former Lloyd Williams-owned galloper was having his third start for new trainer Stuart Webb when successful in the OTI Racing Handicap on Saturday.

Ridden by Regan Bayliss, Annus Mirabilis ($16) scored a long neck victory over Hardern ($4.80) with the $4.60 favourite Shikarpour 3-1/4 lengths away third.

Annus Mirabilis and stablemate Timikar, a fading 11th in Saturday's race, were both bought from Williams as prospective jumpers.

The pair are part-owned by Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons who fought hard to save jumps racing when it was threatened with abolition in 2009.

"Mike Symons did the deal with Nick Williams," Webb said.

"It wasn't a heap (of money) but they weren't give-aways either.

"He (Annus Mirabilis) was bought to hopefully be a good jumper, and he probably will be, but he may have earned a reprieve for a little while.

"They were in work when we got them from Lloyd so we took the opportunity to get to know them before next year's winter period."