FORMER track record-holder Barney The Bold, winner of last year's All-England Cup, returns to Brough Park on Friday in pursuit of the William Hill Gold Cup.

The Scottish raider, trained at Shawfield by Janis Carmichael, was unbeaten in the three rounds of the £7,500 September competition, equalling the 480m track record of 28.63 secs with 1999 All-England Cup winner, Endon Tiger.

The record stood until November, when A1 grader Over The Pike took advantage of a fast surface - rated +30 - to clock an astonishing 28.54 secs and begin a new open-race career.

Barney The Bold, which was the subject of a BBC Scotland television documentary after winning six consecutive open races, will be taking on the Brough top-notcher in the Tyneside track's latest big open event, which offers a first prize of £2,000.

Also in contention will be Kelloe-based Ted Soppitt's brilliant Frisby Forte, which won the £2,000 William Hill Puppy Cup at Brough Park last month in style.

Already strongly fancied for the Greyhound Derby after other impressive wins at Walthamstow and Sheffield the July 2000 Top Honcho dog is rated by Soppitt as the best youngster he has had in his care.

Certainly Frisby Forte - owned by footballers Craig Bellamy, Mark Crossley and Dougie Freedman - excelled in his last two visits to the Tyneside track, winning his heat by 10 lengths and then romping home in the final by 3 lengths in 28.80 secs, only three lengths off the track record.

Another leading contender in the latest competition is the Johnny Seagrave-trained Stay For John, a heat winner in the Regal Gold Cup at Sunderland last month, while Belle Isle Ace, trained in Scotland by Sammy Salmon, is also highly rated.

The first two in each of Friday's three heats go through to the fin al a week later.