Custard the Dragon was at the peak of his powers in harness racing at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre last Friday.

Andy Stoneham’s seven-year-old stallion grabbed the spotlight after producing the season’s fastest time of 1:03/2 in the third heat of the Free for All.

Custard the Dragon shaved a fifth of a second off the season’s previous fastest time of 1:03/3, achieved by Aaron Sims’s gelding Simsfield Hardtimes last month, and two fifths of a second off his previous lifetime best achieved last season.

“We have been expecting this out of this horse and the headline could say finally because it’s taken him this long to get going,” an elated Stoneham said. “I’m super happy this horse has finally showed up.”

Stoneham’s horse achieved the feat with experienced driver Andrea Westerfield at the helm.

“I am very happy with Custard the Dragon,” Westerfield said. “He is definitely running very good this season so far.

“It wasn’t too much of surprise because he has been doing some pretty fast times right from jump this season. I expected him to go a little bit faster than what we were doing but not that fast.”

Also achieving a sub-1:04 during the racing programme were Gold n Glory and Cherokee’s Ironman who posted a 1:03/3 to grab a share of the season’s fastest time before Custard the Dragon lowered the bar.

Three ponies advanced to a faster division. Reign of Terror, owned by the Burrows Family, and Tuck Away Farm’s Rockeyed Optimist managed to get both legs out of the 1:08/1 — 1:11/3 division.

Also on the move was Inwood’s Realist, owned by Inwood Stables, who got both legs out of the faster 1:06/3 — 1:08 division, while Shady Maple, also owned by the Burrows Family, got one leg out of the same division. Reign of Terror, Inwood’s Realist and Wiggleitgiggleit were the only ponies managing multiple heat wins.

Kiwon Waldron’s three wins was the most on the night by a driver while David Burrows Jr, Christian Truran and Stoneham had two each.