MATTHEW Williams felt like he was missing out on the south-west trainer party at this year's TAB May Racing Carnival.
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But three races into the second day Harbour Views stormed passed the post to claim a maiden win on his debut and give Williams his 23rd victory at the annual carnival.
The four-year-old, who was destined to be at Darren Weir's stables before the trainer was suspended, got his racing record off on the right note when he edged out Symon Wilde's Shamal Lass and Jane Baker's Garbo.
Williams, who stretched his streak of wins at the carnival to seven consecutive years, was aware of his south-west colleagues' impressive start to week.
"There is always pressure on for local trainers to get a win here at Warrnambool," he said.
"The boys certainly put the pressure on yesterday with six local winners. It's great to get a result as he was probably our best chance for the carnival.
"But you have an un-raced horse in its first start you don't know what is going to happen. He showed today the ability he has got and it's upwards and onwards for him."
Harbour Views arrived at the Williams' stable after part-owner Terry Henderson, of the OTI Racing syndicate, decided to base him in Warrnambool.
"He came from France and he had just come out of quarantine when the Weir thing blew up and Terry wanted to get him somewhere as he was basically on a truck," he said.
"So he came to home and he had a little issue in England but he had been a sound horse the whole way through and Terry wanted to keep him at the beach, which was a bit of a plus that we could offer that, and he was able to stay with us.
"He is a really big beautiful animal and I really like him."
Williams, who now has 13 wins in the past five carnivals, was pleased with Harbour Views' debut run.
"He got into a bit of an awkward spot before the corner and I thought there was a horse coming back in his lap a bit and dragging him out of the race when he could have been working forward," he said.
"But he has a really good quick change up here and he was able to show that when he got a bit of clear room at the top of the straight he put the race away pretty quickly."
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