TYNESIDE track Brough Park stages the final of the £2,000 William Hill Gold Cup on Friday night and racing manager Terry Meynell is expecting a close race: "It looks wide open - anything can win it."

But Scottish raider Bell Isle Ace could start favourite after clocking the fastest time in the heats and receiving an ideal trap one draw in the final. Sammy Salmon's dog was made to work all the way by Brough Park's Sand Shock, which flew the lids to produce the fastest sectional time before being caught near the line, with Bell Isle Ace winning by three quarters of a length in 28.90 secs.

Ponteland-based Paul Rutherford's track record holder Over The Pike made no mistake in his heat, leading at the first bend and going on to win by 2 lengths in 29.00 secs. A trap five draw for the middle runner should not prove to be too uncomfortable in the final, when he is bound to receive a lot of local support. The biggest upset in the heats was the defeat of former track record holder Barney The Bold, winner of the All England Cup at Brough Park in September with three consecutive victories. The Shawfield-based top-notcher took a knock at the first bend and finished fourth behind former jockey Johnny Seagrave's Stay For John, which trapped superbly.

Draw: 1 Bell Isle Ace (S Salmon, Scotland); 2 Coolagorna Glory (E Parker, Sheffield); 3 Stay For John (J Seagrave, Stainforth); 4 Honchos First (D Fradgley, Stainforth); 5 Over The Pike (P Rutherford, Brough Park); 6 Sand Shock (Rutherford).

l Sunderland are staging a new open competition, the £2,000 Ladbrokes Webcasting Trophy for 18 dogs over 450m next month. The three heats will be run on Wednesday, April 10, with the first two from each qualifying for the final three days later. Bang in form at the track is six-bend specialist Best Express, which has two firsts and two seconds from its last four 640m races. Trained at Chester-le-Street by Paul Miller for his wife, Andria, the November 99 Toms The Best-Frans Star blue bitch had a long run without a win but is now producing the best form of her racing career.