A pending storm caused some disruption at the start of the race but, once it was underway, Williams settled midfield as planned, with favourite Helmet and Underwood Stakes winner Lion Tamer setting the early tempo.
Pinker Pinker dropped back towards the tail of the field with some 800 metres to go but began to move forward from the 600 metres, with Williams content to bide his time on the inside, waiting for an opening.
Sticking to the rails, Pinker Pinker was right on the heels of the leaders rounding the turn and when Jimmy Choux got the better of Helmet near the 200 metres, Williams, who had enjoyed a perfect rails run, set out after the new leader. "A run just came for me on the fence, so I took it," he said.