The impressive winning streak of Simsfield Hardtimes came to a grinding halt during harness racing at the National Equestrian Centre last weekend.

Aaron Sims’ Indiana-bred pony was edged out by a nose at the wire by rival gelding War Machine, in the twelfth and final heat of the racecard at the Vesey Street racetrack on Sunday.

The two Free for All ponies clocked the fastest time of the day of 1:02 flat in the same heat.

Sims’s pony pulled alongside of War Machine, who had the advantage racing on the rail, heading down the home stretch but ultimately fell short of victory by the thinnest of margins.

It was the second time Simsfield Hardtimes had posted the time at the meet with driver Kiwon Waldron having done so earlier when extending his unbeaten streak to nine races in the sixth heat.

Mello Family’s War Machine, also bred in Indiana, had momentum going into the racecard after recording the season’s fastest time of 1:01.3 the previous weekend with driver Darico Clarke in the bike.

Also among the ponies impressing was Samantha Hayward’s gelding Pokies Fly By, who made further inroads towards moving up from the 1:08.1 – 1:11.3 time bar with driver and trainer Macray Bulford at the helm.

Callum Cunningham’s Wiggleitjiggleit and rival gelding Inwood’s Realist, owned by the Martins Family, also posted encouraging times in their respective divisions with drivers Andrea Westerfield and Tahzil Flood in the sulky.

Gelding Rockeyed Optimist was the only multiple heat winner on the day, having swept two heats in the Free for All division with owner and driver Maurice Raynor.