Greene King is edging ahead as the favourite to buy Morrells Brewery, if regulars at one pub are to be believed.

The Plough in Wheatley has opened a book as the race to buy the Oxford company hots up.

Drinkers have marked Greene King as the 5-4 favourite, with Banks's just behind at 6-4.

There has been so much interest in the brewery sale that landlord John Payne decided to chalk up "runners" and odds on a board beside the bar.

John, a former promoter of Oxford Speedway, said: "Regulars are all talking about it, so we are betting pints. There have been about 40 takers so far."

Surprisingly, Abingdon-based Morland, the hot tip of many in the industry, is marked down at 5-1, behind Kent brewery Shepherd Neame. Brakspear, of Henley, is 6-1. And it would seem that the drinkers know what they are talking about. Members of the Oxford and District Club Stewards' Association say a visitor from Greene King expressed confidence that the East Anglian brewery would be successful.

One association member said: "The Greene King man reckoned they were about 90 per cent certain of success. It seems they want to keep 92 of the 132 Morrells pubs, and make about 15 managed houses."

Greene King spokesman Marilyn Jackson said: "I can confirm that we have put in a bid. But we have not yet heard anything officially from Morrells.

"Marking us as favourites is just speculation that we would not want to comment on."

Morrells chief executive and chairman Ken Hodgson has already confirmed none of the 20 bidders includes provision for keeping the historic St Thomas Street brewery open. He said he hoped the sale would be concluded next month.

Greene King, which already owns 1,100 pubs, only narrowly failed to buy Morland in 1992 after mounting a £101m bid.

The betting at the Plough now reads: Greene King 5-4; Banks's 6-4; Shepherd Neame 7-4; Morland 5-1; Brakspear 6-1; Ushers 8-1; Enterprise Inns 10-1. 12-1 Bar. FORM GUIDE GREENE KING 5-4: Excellent pedigree. East Anglia's largest brewer, based in Bury St Edmunds, and established in 1799. Its IPA and Abbot Ale are widely admired and it owns 1,100 pubs, with 2,500 free trade outlets. Quick off the mark in confirming a strong interest, Greene King directors are now reportedly 90 per cent confident of success. Tried to take over Morland in 1992.

BANKS'S 6-4: Pride of Wolverhampton and Dudley, it boasts 1,119 houses, with a particularly strong presence in clubs. Showed impressive form in 1992 when it triumphed in the race for the Camerons Brewery, picking up 51 pubs from Brent Walker along the way. Less than exciting at the bar.

SHEPHERD NEAME 7-4: Traditionalists' favourite. Kent's major independent reckons to be the oldest continuous brewer in the country, with records back to the 12th century. Has 390 tied houses in the south-east all selling cask ale, with more than 500 outlets supplied directly. Good European form too, brewing bottled beer under licence for the Bavarian Kaltenberg brewery.

MORLAND 5-1: Strongly tipped by pundits and looked well positioned from the start. Turned Old Speckled Hen into an international winner, yet surprisingly unloved closer to home. Kept up a fearsome pace by acquiring Ruddles in September for £4.8m. Currently owns 300 tenancy pubs and 130 managed pubs. But some feel Morland is preparing for a dramatic change in another direction. BRAKSPEAR 6-1: A win by Henley's finest would be viewed as a mouth-watering prospect by the county's drinkers. Let's face it, Brakspear beer takes some beating this side of Hook Norton. For years it refused to move much from its south Oxfordshire base. But after years of closing smaller pubs on its home patch, it is displaying greater determination to enhance its tied estate of 103 pubs.

USHERS 8-1: Famous name from the West Country which seemed to lose its way after being swallowed up by Watney in 1960. Regained form and independence with management buyout and has invested heavily. Stylishly launched on Stock Exchange in 1997 and now supplies real ale to nearly all its 541 houses. A good all-rounder producing keg and bottled beers for Scottish Courage and other international breweries. ENTERPRISE INNS 10-1: Young, thrusting newcomer from Solihull whose speed has surprised many since its appearance in 1991, when it snapped up 372 pubs from Bass. Its pubs total now stands at 1,150 after acquiring Discovery Inns last year. About half are run on 21-year lease basis, with the remainder tenanted. Beers come from Bass, Whitbred, Carlsberg-Tetley and Wolverhampton and Dudley. Aggressive, but they really should think of getting themselves their own brewery. Future's in the planets THE planets hold the key to the future of Morrells, we can exclusively reveal today.

Things are becoming really out of this world at the St Thomas Street brewery as the sale countdown gets under way.

Believe it or not, you will not hear names such as Greene King and Banks's being uttered in the Morrells boardroom as the final shortlist of bidders is drawn up.

Instead, the accountants and those holding the reins of the Oxford brewery are busy charting the movements of Mercury, Pluto, Venus and Mars.

The secrecy surrounding the bids is such that an elaborate coding system has been introduced, with each of the bidders being named after a planet.

But the 77 brewery workers will hardly be over the moon to discover that none of the "planets " will bring a change of fortune. The sun will be setting on the famous old brewery, whoever wins the battle.

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