Cordoba has given father-son training combination Allan and Jason Williams a first metropolitan success at Sandown.

A former jockey, Allan Williams is the patriarch of the family which includes Scobie Breasley-winning rider Craig and trainer sons Damien and Jason.

Williams and Jason combined around 15 months ago in a training partnership and have around 10 or 12 horses in work.

One of the outsiders, Cordoba ($16) charged home to score by a short-half-head from Omarion and Idle Dreams in Wednesday's Maiden (1300m).

Cordoba was the pair's first runner since October and just their third winner since they joined forces.

Allan, a successful trainer in his own right, has been slowly scaling back in recent years and is enjoying working with Jason.

"I'm stepping back a little bit now," Williams Sr said.

"We've had a couple of winners in the bush and this is our first city winner together.

"We've got 10 or 12 in work and Jason prepares a few for David Price and if they're good enough they go to Hong Kong, so we don't have that many runners.

"It's very hard getting owners."

Allan Williams was left to do the honours on Wednesday with Jason joining a host of trainers on the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Williams has a healthy opinion of Cordoba but admitted the win was something of a surprise.

He thought Cordoba could win at Wangaratta before Christmas, but a float mishap 10 minutes out from the country track forced him to scratch the gelding.

"We took him to Wangaratta and I thought he'd win," Williams said.

"He had a setback, but we didn't trial him again, so we weren't really sure and were hoping today.

"If he ran home and ran third or fourth we would have been happy, so to win is a bonus."