A spectacular day of harness racing at Vesey Street on Sunday track was made extra special by the performance of Special Gold in the final heat of the day.

Thwarted by chief rival War Machine in the pair’s initial outing, the Lee and Sergio Raynor-owned stallion, driven by Kiwon Waldron, reaffirmed himself as the island’s fastest with a season best time of 1:02/0, providing a fitting end.

Special Gold had previously recorded two clockings of 1:02/2, allowing for a share of the season best-time honour with War Machine, but there was no room for shared bragging rights on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Driving Horse and Pony Club’s Junior Free for All bracket has suddenly become a quite crowded affair after three ponies advanced from the slower 1:06/2-1:07/4 group.

Ryan Manders’s A Touch of Red, Bellhaven Stables’ Kool The Fire and Itsallaboutme, of Graceland Stables, all moved up a time bar, forcing a probable split of the now six-strong group, considering the track can only accommodate a maximum of four racers.

Talented teenage driver Kamali Tucker emphasised her promise with a string of standout performances, both in the bike of her regular ride, A Touch of Red, as well as substituting for Maurice Raynor at the helm of Rockeyed Optimist.

Tucker authored the day’s best move in the second heat of the Free for All division [1:04/0 and faster], tracking down fellow 16-year-old Teshi Zuill and Somegoldsomewhere on the back stretch before timing her passing move to perfection between turns three and four and holding her nerve while enhancing the pace in the face of aggressive defensive driving by Zuill.

“My first race with A Touch of Red took me out of my time bar,” said Tucker, her ebullience at achieving the feat on full display.

“In the first race I got the rail and figured I should take advantage of it. I sat there and when I called on him he responded and we ran a 1:05/4, which is his fastest time of the season.

“Kiwon Waldron took him out a couple of weeks ago and he got a six flat [1:06/0] and the 5/4 this time was much faster, so we’re able to move up.”

Tucker may have left Raynor to ponder focusing exclusively on his training duties relative to Rockeyed Optimist, who appeared a different animal with the youngster holding the reigns, showing enhanced speed and form in his heat five showing.

“For the race with Rockeyed Optimist there was no initial plan,” said Tucker, who has had to overcome her initial apprehension to taking control of one of the larger, faster adult horses.

“He’s a very strong hose and I knew that he had it in him,” said Tucker. “I knew that I had to stay on top of Teshi just ahead of me and be able to pull out in front of him.

“I called out to him and he went right away. He’s a very strong pony with a lot of punch.”

Raynor told of how when he had first suggested that Tucker take a turn at driving his gelding she was unsure as to her readiness for such a step up in class.

“I’ve been encouraging her to drive Rockeyed Optiist for a while and she kept turning me down,” explained Raynor. “She told me that she was nervous, because I have a really big horse, but I told her that the nerves would disappear once she got going in a race.”

The showing on Sunday showed all nervousness to have been firmly cast aside, with Raynor content to observe from the sidelines.

“I train the pony along with Kiwon Waldron’s daddy, Wayne, and we work to get the horse dialled in,” added Raynor, who even in advanced age, retains a lust for speed in competition.

“I still enjoy racing, even at 60, but I’m also happy to encourage and have a younger rider do well.”

Meanwhile, two ponies established one leg out of the 1:06/2-1:07/4 time bar, with the Candyce Martins-driven Smart Machine and Special Tux [Kiwon Walron] close to qualifying for the Junior Free for All.