Free for All rivals War Machine and Smart Machine flirted with the season’s fastest time and the overall track record at the National Equestrian Centre at the weekend.

War Machine and fellow gelding Smart Machine posted the day’s fastest time of 1:02/2, which was just shy of the season’s fastest time to date of 1:02.1 and a second off the overall track record (1:01/1) held by Tyler Lopes’s retired mare, Google Me.

Colin Mello, who owns War Machine, was pleased by his pony’s performance in his first appearance at the racetrack since claiming the Aged Stakes crown on New Year’s Day.

“I’m happy with how he’s running and hopefully he keeps it up,” Mello told The Royal Gazette. “It has been a few weeks since we raced on New Year’s Day so happy with the performance.

“Thanks to Robert Lopes for driving him this week with Philip [Correia] having other commitments and thanks for the help from the team with War Machine.“

Smart Machine and owner/driver Candyce Martins claimed early bragging rights after posting 1:02/2 in the fifth heat before War Machine and Lopes came alone and equalled the mark in the very next heat. The rival pair were also double heat winners.

Martins was also pleased with her pony’s showing.

“We managed to be a double heat winner and Smart Machine is performing above my expectations,” she said.

Also impressing in the Free for All time bar was Red October, owned by Simsfield Stables, who posted the day’s second-fastest time and a season-best 1:02/3 with driver Catrina Sharman in the bike.

Aaron Sims’s gelding was promoted to the Free for All time bar after getting both legs out of the Junior Free for All en route to claiming the 4-Year-Old Stakes honours on New Year’s Day and continues to go from strength to strength.

“He is adapting good,” Sims said.

“He’s still not fully fit as he arrived in Bermuda in November and has only had 11 weeks of training.

“But I think he’s doing exceptionally good considering the circumstances and I am excited to see the future with him.”

It also proved to be a special day for Callum Cunningham’s mare, Rockin My Business, who posted 1:05/1 in the eighth heat with trainer/driver Martins to get both legs out of the 1:05/2 – 1:06/2 time bar and advance to the Junior Free for All.

“She is performing good even though she started training late in the season and is not at her full fitness potential,” Martins said.

Getting a leg out of the 1:05/2 – 1:06/2 time bar were Bellhaven Stables’ geldings, Inwood’s Realist and Kool The Fire, with drivers Tahzil Flood and Damany Burchall at the helm.