Dylan DeSilva and Simsfield Hardtimes grabbed the spotlight after blazing their way to multiple wins and the fastest time of the season during harness racing at the Bermuda Equestrian Centre at the weekend.

DeSilva was a double heat winner with the Simsfield Stables’s gelding racing in the Free for All division, where their time of 1:03.2 eclipsed the previous fastest time of the season of 1:04.3, posted by track record holder Google Me on the opening day of the campaign.

“It’s good to be putting these times down,” Aaron Sims, the pony’s trainer, told The Royal Gazette. “When Dylan warmed him up he said he felt relaxed and strong.”

DeSilva and Simsfield Hardtimes capitalised after unexpectedly receiving the rail in their first heat of the night in which they lowered the season’s fastest time.

“We were not supposed to have the rail and were actually stuck in the middle from the draw,” Sims added. “But Colin’s (Mello) pony (Itsallaboutme) scratched and so it was only a two pony race and we ended up getting the rail.

“I told Dylan ‘just let him go and see how he goes’, and he did. He drove a good race and went in a 1:03.2, which was the fastest time of the night and the fastest of the season so far.”

DeSilva and Simsfield Hardtimes then completed an impressive double after coming around the outside to edge Mello Family’s gelding, War Machine at the line in the final heat of the race schedule on Saturday night.

“War Machine was on the rail but he (DeSilva) tipped him out on the back stretch,” Sims said. “He started making ground up on the outside and by the time he got around by the start line, he was side-by-side with War Machine.

“It was tight when they rounded the stretch but I thought he could get him and he did. He came down the home stretch and edged him out in front.

“It was pretty exceptional for him to come around. War Machine is no slouch for him to come around him like that and win the race.

“I was impressed with him, it was really good. He was tough and on his A game and Dylan drove a very good race.”

Sims added that he was uncertain how his pony would perform in the cooler conditions.

“It was a cold night and we were worried that he wasn’t going to run because it’s hard to keep them warm,” he added. “We kept him in the trailer all night and had three blankets on him.

“When its cold like that it’s hard. You just never know if they are going to run or not but he did. He was strong so clearly he likes the cold weather.”

Meanwhile, Kiwon Waldron and Candyce Martins were the remaining multiple heat winners on the night.

Waldron posted a pair of wins competing with mares Gold Legacy and Reign of Terror in the 1:05.1-1:06 division.

Martins also had two wins with gelding Gold N’ Glory and stallion Reel Desire competing in the 1:04 – 1:05 and 1:1-1/4 & Slower divisions respectively.