Simsfield Stables left their mark on the track during the latest harness racing meeting at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre on Friday night.

Simsfield’s gelding Red October equalled the season’s fastest time (1:02) in the Free for All division, while stallion Gold Rush set a lifetime best (1:04) to get a leg out of the Junior Free for All division, with driver Philip Correia driving both ponies.

Racing on the rail, Correia and Red October led the whole way before edging rival Candyce Martins on Smart Machine by a half a length at the finish line to grab a share of the season record, which the latter held heading into the third heat in the Free For All division.

“I was pleased with his performance and I’m hoping that he will go faster with the best yet to come,” Correia told The Royal Gazette.

After a late start to the season, Red October and Gold Rush have gone from strength to strength with new driver Correia in the bike.

“I missed the first two or three races of the season just because the ponies were not ready and I wasn’t bringing them out until they were,” Simsfield Stables owner and trainer Aaron Sims said.

“Both of them are coming into good form. Red October equalled the fastest time of the season and was a double heat winner, while Gold Rush went in his lifetime mark with a new driver this year.

“Philip is getting along good with them and they seem to be moving forward for the best.”

Smart Machine and Martins also stopped the clock at 1:02. It was the second straight time the pair had achieved the feat, having done so on the previous card to slash a full second off of the season’s fastest time, which they also already held.

The time was three-fifths of a second shy of the gelding’s record (1.01/2), jointly held by War Machine and Simsfield Hardtimes, and four-fifths off the overall track record (1.01/1) established by Tyler Lopes’s retired mare Google Me.

Correia was the most successful driver on the night, picking up two wins with Red October and another with Gold Rush.

Tahzil Flood was the only other driver achieving multiple victories, having led the field across the line at the helm of geldings Huntinforgold and Inwood’s Realist in the Junior Free for All division.

Maurice Raynor (Rockeyed Optimist) and Correia (Red October) recorded the second fastest time (1:03/4). Correia (Red October) was also among a trio of drivers producing the third fastest time (1:04), which also included Martins (Double Time) and Teshi Zuill (Somegoldsomewhere).

The next harness racing meeting takes place on Boxing Day at 1pm and will feature a Veterans Invitational race, with some former drivers returning to the track.