Oxford Cheetahs have been offered the chance of Friday night racing next year, after a series of promising meetings with Oxford Stadium officials.

However, they will have to pay the going rate, as the management at Oxford view Friday nights as the best for entertainment.

Greyhound racing takes place at Cowley on Friday evenings and Cheetahs have had to switch to Wednesdays this season, with crowd figures down on the Friday night gates.

Much, however, will depend on what league Oxford will be competing in and, if expected, it is the Premier League, then the choice of race night won't be that important.

But should Oxford stay in the top-flight Elite League, which is unlikely under the present set-up, then Friday nights would be preferable.

There no question that Friday night is the best to pull in the crowds, so there is a lot of thinking to do between now and the annual meeting in November.

Owner Steve Purchase said: "There are now various options for the club to consider about next year.

"Friday night is still a possibility, but there are a number of commercial and administrative issues which would need to be resolved before that could become a reality."

The Stadium's management have backed Cheetahs' application to join the Premier League.

Purchase added: "As a commercial organisation, they require regular and frequent use of the stadium by us and can see the advantages of a move to the Premier League for 2003."

Meanwhile, Purchase attended a BSPA meeting on Tuesday, and while he was a little more enthusiastic about changes being made for next year, he admits they would have to be substantial to make him change his mind about Premier League racing for Cheetahs.

He will also be at another meeting next month when the demands of Grand Prix events and Sky TV will be discussed.

CHEETAHS' final away Craven Shield match is at Eastbourne tomorrow, which will bring down the curtain on an unhappy season. Play-offs simply a lottery DID the controversial play-off system work in the Elite League? I don't think so.

Just ask Eastbourne, one of the instigators of the innovative idea this year.

They were leading the league for most of the season and at the play-off cut-off date were clearly ahead.

And what should have been a season-long battle to decide the champions, became a lottery, with the league battle being decided between the top five teams.

The system was clearly for the benefit of the TV cameras.

Wolverhampton came out on top after having three successive home meetings, first against Peterborough, then against a Coventry side lacking three of their top stars - Billy Hamill, Ryan Fisher and Bill Janniro.

Finally, they had home advantage in the first leg of the final, and then pulled off a fine win against all the odds at Arlington last Wednesday. HOPEFUL: Steve Purchase MISSING: Coventry's Billy Hamill was just one of the stars to miss the play-offs Poole to face Aussie GP test FORMER Oxford favourite Mick Poole is one of the wild card entries for the inaugural Australian Grand Prix later this month.

Poole, who has retired from British racing, will be making his Grand Prix debut at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney later this month.

Belle Vue favourite Jason Lyons, who scored an impressive 16 points at the British GP in 2000, is the other wild card.

England stars Mark Loram, Scott Nicholls and Andy Smith will ride in this Saturday's Championship of Great Britain final at Coventry before jetting out to Sydney.

The top five riders from Saturday will be invited to race in the World Championship qualifying rounds next season on the road to the 2004 GP series.

READING legend Dave Mullett seems certain to retire after more than 20 years in the sport.

The Kent sheep farmer was a leading light for the Racers in the battles against Cheetahs in the 1980s.

PHIL Morris and Garry Stead have won late call-ups into the Championship of Great Britain Grand Final at Coventry on Saturday.

Workington's Carl Stonehewer has been ruled out through injury and Sheffield's Sean Wilson has decided to ride for his Polish League club.

And that means both Stonehewer and Wilson will miss the opportunity to win one of five qualifying places for next season's world championship rounds.

British Speedway chairman Chris Van Straaten said: "This is a meeting I have

been looking forward to all season and the title 'British champion' is a

valuable addition to the CV of any rider.

"But the meeting has added importance tonight because of the fact that five

riders will go through to the world championship qualifying rounds next

season with the aim of qualifying for the 2004 Grand Prix series.

"That should enhance the action and I'm sure all the riders will be going

for

it in a big way. Even if a rider has no chance of winning the meeting, there

is still the incentive of one of those five places for next season."

Full lIne-up: 1 Oliver Allen (Swindon, 2 Phil Morris (Reading), 3 David Howe (Wolverhampton), 4 Paul Hurry (Wolverhampton), 5 David Norris (Eastbourne), 6 Leigh Lanham (Arena Essex), 7 Simon Stead (Sheffield), 8 Joe Screen (Eastbourne), 9 Scott Nicholls (Ipswich), 10 Andy Smith (unattached), 11 Mark Loram (Eastbourne), 12 Chris Harris (Trelawny), 13 Lee Richardson (Coventry), 14 Garry Stead (Hull), 15 Dean Barker (Eastbourne), 16 Danny Bird (Isle of Wight).