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WALTER Swinburn left British motorway regulations in tatters to reach Heathrow airport with only minutes to spare for his flight to Hongkong and his date with tiny French filly Urban Sea in today's $4.5 million International Cup.

 The irrepressible Swinburn, who left the territory in February with a punctured lung and a strapped-up collarbone, is on the crest of a winning wave and ready to give River Verdon the race of his life. But he nearly didn't make it.

 The Irishman rode the winner of the featured Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury, took his private plane to an airstrip 20 miles from Heathrow and jumped into his car for the final dash.

 ''And that's when the trouble really started. There was a rail strike in Britain and, of course, it was also Friday evening. They simply weren't moving on the M25 and the minutes were ticking away,'' said Swinburn.

 The M25 is London's orbital motorway and notorious for traffic jams - particularly at weekends.

 ''The flight was just one hour away. I kept thinking, 'I must make it to Hongkong, I can't not show up'.

 ''It was a straight choice between the police and Hongkong. I pulled over on to the hard shoulder and gunned the car down there for miles. I wasn't popular but I made it in time.

 ''This was one meeting I was not going to miss,'' said Swinburn.

 Swinburn is not put off by the size of Urban Sea.

 ''I can imagine what everyone here was thinking when they saw her. It is almost an automatic reaction. But she is really very, very good and I am optimistic she will run a top race.''  While Swinburn was breaking motorway regulations, English rider John Lowe was having directional problems yesterday.

 Mellottie was due to work on the main grass course at Sha Tin but Clerk of the Course John Jeffs and other officials were somewhat bemused when the horse did not turn up - having left the saddling paddock.

 ''He could not find his way on to the grass track apparently. There are two entrances but he failed to find either of them,'' said Jeffs.

 Mellottie is passed fit for today's international Group Three showpiece - with Lowe obviously hoping he'll find his way home in first place.



Swinburn escapes Urban nightmare