Candyce Martins and racing pony Double Time are turning out to be a winning combination.

The 19-year-old driver and her family’s mare have exceeded the expectations of many having achieved a new lifetime best and moved up to the Free for All time bar, boasting the fastest ponies on the island, just over a month into the 2020-21 season.

Double Time ran a lifetime best and season’s fastest time to date of 1:02/4, which she shares with gelding Simsfield Hardtimes, on October 30 to get a leg out of the 1:03/1 - 1:04 time bar.

The eight-year-old Bermuda-bred pony then duplicated that impressive display running on the rail at Vesey Street last weekend to move up to the Free for All.

“I am very happy that she has made it up to Free for All because I didn’t think she could do it,” Martins said.

“I think a lot of people didn’t think she could do it and I look forward to the rest of the season with her.”

Double Time’s lifetime best is one fifth of a second shy of the Bermuda-bred record of 1:02/3 held by Mello Family’s mare, ThisBabyRocks.

Martins Family purchased the mare from rivals Simsfield Stables at the end of last season.

“We are still a new pony-driver combination so we are not trying to rush anything,” Martins added. “I am just trying to get to know her and figure out what she likes and doesn’t like.

“I am still trying to figure her out because she is a little different than the other ponies that I have raced. But some ponies are just like that and so far so good.

“The pony loves to do it. She’s been very good and we are impressed with how she is running at the moment.”

Martins is excited about the new challenge of competing in the Free for All.

“Everyone up there are like the big boys,” she said.

“We have a rail this weekend so we will let her just run and do her thing.

“She loves to race, I’m just the passenger.”

Meanwhile, also among last weekend’s standout performers were drivers Kiwon Waldron, Dylan DeSilva, Scott Constable and Catrina Stephens.

Waldron produced four wins competing with three different ponies while DeSilva had three with two ponies both owned by Simsfield Stables.

Stephens and Constable had two each on the way to sweeping their respective time bars along with Waldron and DeSilva.

Harness racing continues at Vesey Street tomorrow, beginning at 6pm.