Bermuda?s Driving Horse and Pony Club launch a new harness racing season under the lights this Saturday evening at the National Equestrian Centre on Vesesy Street in Devonshire.

A bumper entry of 52 ponies has been confirmed for the season-opener, which is believed to be a record for the first meet of the programme.

Included in that entry are a record number of two-year-olds with about a dozen of them racing for the first time.

Several ponies purchased overseas during the summer will be making their debuts.

Meanwhile, an estimated 15 to 20 ponies are still in training and expected to start racing over the next couple of weeks, bringing the club?s number of racing ponies up to around 70, the largest in the sport?s history in Bermuda.

Last Saturday club members carried out their annual track preparation day to ensure that the track was in the best possible condition, and in anticipation that a number of records would be broken this year.

?All of the members and drivers are very excited about the up and coming season,? said a club spokesman. ?They are looking forward to providing spectators with the most exciting and thrilling harness racing anywhere in the world.?

Tomorrow?s meet starts at 7 p.m.