Harbour Views after one of his earlier wins
Matthew Williams has confirmed the Group 3 R A Lee Stakes (1600m) on the final day of the Adelaide carnival will be next for promising galloper Harbour Views.
The lightly-raced talent started $4.80 second favourite and finished third to Buffalo River and after being pleased with the performance, Williams explains this preparation and next spring is all about “having a crack”.
“He was good yesterday. When he stepped half-a-length slow it was always going to be hard the way the track was playing. We planned to be a couple of lengths closer in the run, but Mark (Zahra) gave him the best run he could from where he was,” Williams said on Sunday morning.
“I thought he was great from the 300m to the 100m and held his own the final 100m, but probably just knocked up.
“The main thing we need is to get his rating up another 10 or 15 points. He’s been very well-placed to date, probably a little bit protected in restricted races, but this spring is going to be the time when we have a crack.
“This will be a light preparation and his next run will be in the Group 3 R A Lee Stakes (1600m) on May 16 at Morphettville in two weeks then we’ll bring him back and give him one final run over 2000m in an open handicap.
“If all goes well, we’ll then target the Feehan Stakes first-up in the spring on a Cox Plate path.”
Harbour Views boasts a great overall record of five wins from seven starts and two minor placings, and it was this time last year when he made his debut a winning one and landed a huge plunge at the Warrnambool May Carnival.
On the first day of the ‘Bool all the whispers on track were for Matty William’s import in the 1400m maiden and as such his quote was slashed from $11 to $2.60, before jumping as the $3.20 favourite.
While reminiscing on that time, Williams jokes there will be no such scenes this year although being represented by a strong team on Wednesday’s second day of his local carnival.
“There will be no Harbour Views this year,” Williams jests.
“I’ve got hopes all day, Paremuus Boy and Brilliant Concept were very good last start and have claims.
“My two-year-old in the VOBIS Gold Strike In Hot Water will go better again on Wednesday after a good run on debut at Terang.
“And in the Wangoom Illustrious Lad is certainly a chance.”
One entrant certainly catches the eye in Darvin, a French import raced by OTI and by the same sire at Harbour Views making his Australian debut in the 1700m BM70.
However, Williams explains the four-year-old import will need the run and will need further in time.