Just when you might have thought Liam Stones’ rookie season in harness racing couldn’t get any better, it just did after moving up a time bar for the second time this season at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre.

The 15-year-old Mount Saint Agnes student again demonstrated his potential in the bike after getting both legs out of the 1:07/1 — 1:08/3 time bar and also producing the sweep at the helm of Belhaven Stables seven-year-old stallion Reel Desire.

“Liam and Reel Desire seem to be a good fit for each other,” Belhaven Stables trainer Candyce Martins told The Royal Gazette.

“This is the second time he has moved up a time bar and he has also taken Reel Desire in his new lifetime mark of 1:06/2.

“Liam is very pleased with Reel Desire and they are having improvement every week.”

Belhaven Stables gelding Gold N Glory also made positive strides having gotten a leg out of the 1:05/4 — 1:07 time bar with driver Teshi Zuill at the helm.

Also achieving the feat was HuntinForGold and driver/owner Tahzil Flood after getting a leg out of the Junior Free for All with a new lifetime mark of 1:03.

Also setting new lifetime marks were locally bred filly Just A Dream (1:11) with rookie driver Marissa Stephens, Inwood’s Realist (1:04/4) and driver DJ Burchall and Gold Rush (1:03/2) with Philip Correia in the bike.

Gold Rush owner/trainer Aaron Sims said his stallion’s performance exceeded expectations.

“He surprised us. I know he is capable of moving up to Free For All but he’s still young,” he said.

“He’s only three years old so I’m not really keen on letting him go wide open as of yet. But he pretty much did that time from start to finish and not even really pushing him. He did it comfortably.

“He’s starting to come into himself and obviously getting fit and getting down and learning how to race so the future looks pretty promising and exciting for him.

“It’s also pretty exciting because I raised him from a baby. He was four months old when I bought him and brought him to Bermuda when he was a year old and then broke him and taught him how to drive and race and all the rest of it. So when you see them coming on like this it’s a nice feeling.

“I know his bloodlines were good that’s why I bought him because he’s a full brother to Lee Raynor’s Special Gold (former Champion of Champion).”

Smart Machine and driver Martins posted the fastest time (1:02/1) and were among the night’s double heat winners which also included Reel Desire, Inwood’s Realist, Just A Dream, Gold Legacy and Gold N Glory.