IT'S another Sunday Special as the Arthur Young and Co Pall Mall swings into action at Oxford Stadium tomorrow with the opening heats.

As always the early season classic is packed with talent headed by last year's finalist Ceekay, who went on to win the Racing Post Arc and then stamped his authority on the £10,000 East Anglian Derby. He should take heat 6.

Most of the leading lights have all won round Sandy Lane and among them is Droopys Eric, who dramatically had to pull out of last year's semis due to an accident on the way home after breaking the track record.

Since then he has won his last four races here, and he looks the best bet on the card in heat 5.

Then there's John And Me, the Trafalgar Cup finalist who went on to turn the tables on the winner Sensational at Wimbledon. However, he may have to give best to Union Decree in heat 3.

Oxfordshire Gold Cup winner Reactabond Gold, beaten a neck in the East Anglian by Ceekay, also lines up and he can take heat 2 from the likes of Tracys Glory, winner of the £7,000 Sunderland Puppy Derby.

In heat 1, Crescent Classic, the £2,000 Classic Sprint champion and winner of his last two starts at Sandy Lane, may find one too good in the shape of Rachels Power.

Droopys Merson and El Dante, who both produced sizzling performances in the Trial Stakes, posting 26.86 and 26.85 respectively, should win their heats.

Oxford's slim hopes rest on the shoulders of Angie Kibble's Kyle Jordan, Gilly Hepden's Calm Down and Jason Mercer's Ballistic Missile.

Latest betting sees Droopys Eric and Droopys Merson as joint 5-1 ante-post favourites with the Tote.

The first three from the eight heats go trough to next Saturday's quarter-finals with the semi-finals on Tuesday, March 16.

The grand final is on Sunday, March 21. First prize is £6,000.

Story date: Saturday 06 March

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.