Reigning Champion of Champions War Machine set the track ablaze during an impressive season debut at the National Equestrian Centre last weekend.

Mello Family’s gelding posted the season’s fastest time of 1min 3.3sec on the way to victory in the second race in the free for all division with driver Darico Clarke in the bike.

The pair offered a hint of things to come after equalling the previous fastest time of 1:04.3, set by Lee and Sergio Raynor’s stallion Special Gold the previous race day, in the first race before going one better in the second to snatch early season bragging rights over their rivals.

“Happy with his first time out this season,” War Machine’s trainer Colin Mello told The Royal Gazette.

Special Gold won the first race in the free for all after edging out War Machine by a fifth of a second at the line to deny the latter the clean sweep.

Retired mare Google Me holds the track record which stands at 1:01.1.

Meanwhile, dominating the junior free for all division was Bellhaven Stables’ gelding Gold-N-Glory that won both races with driver Candyce Martins at the helm.

Also among the highlights at Vesey Street last Sunday were two exciting races that were decided by a nose.

Bellhaven Stables gelding Inwoods Realist came from behind to pip Burrows Family’s mare Shady Maple at the wire competing in the 1:04.3 – 1:05.3 time bar.

It was the second straight race between the two ponies won by a nose as Shady Maple edged out Inwoods Realist during the previous weekend’s harness racing season opener.

Lightening then struck twice in the very next heat as Gold-N-Glory edged out Graceland Stables gelding Itsallaboutme at the finish in the opening junior free for all race.

Racing continues at the National Equestrian Centre on Sunday, starting at 1pm.