BOOM track Brough Park has clinched two prestigious new open competitions which will attract some of the country's best greyhounds to Tyneside.

Bookmakers William Hill have agreed to sponsor the two new events, over 480m, following the success of the recent Regal All-England Cup.

The William Hill Puppy Cup, which will be staged in February, and the William Hill Gold Cup, who be run in April, will each have winning prize money of £2,000.

Brough Park racing manager Terry Meynell said: "We are delighted to have secured sponsorship from William Hill for two important additions to the racing calendar and we hope they will become annual events.

"The two competitions will attract top entries from all over the country and I am sure greyhound enthusiasts in the North-East will want to see open racing of such a high calibre.

"We are trying to put Brough Park back on the map where it belongs."

Brough has certainly made a Phoenix-like recovery after being so close to closure three years ago, when plans to build houses on the site of the Byker Stadium were defeated.

The recent final of the Regal All-England Cup - which will switch next year back to its traditional September slot - attracted a crowd of over 2,000 and the track goes from strength to strength.

l Witton-le-Wear based trainer Harry Williams has sponsored the Sunderland Track Championship, which offers a first prize of £200 at East Boldon tomorrow night.

Williams, once one of the North-East's top open race trainers, has two home-bred contenders in Pond Cressida and Pond Ophelia, but Graham Calvert's recent acquisition to his racing strength, No Meas Ted, is expected to start odds-on favourite after winning three A1 races since switching from Yorkshire track Kinsley.