Michael DeCosta's two-year-old, El Grande, Little Bear, another two-year-old owned by Fernando Rego -- both Bermuda bred -- and Eddie Roque's Indiana import, Tuxedo's Bowtie, are all set to get their first taste of action.

Meanwhile, V Six and Champion County will be competing under new ownership, as 29 ponies in all are expected to go to the post on a day when 18 races are scheduled.

Tomorrow's feature race will be the eighth, where Nateway, Grand Marshall, Custom Eyesd and Vieda's Lazerbeam will battle it out during the Junior Free For All (1:08/2-1:09/4 time bar).

Track record holder Shamrock Tuxedo has been shipped back to Indiana, meaning that the Free For All class (1:08/1 and faster) should be contested between Grand Shady Eddie The Great and Carolina Jubilee.

SQUASH SQU American Richard Sheppard will be the man to beat in the OBM International Graded Squash Event next week.

He'll be playing in the A category against top locals Julian Rose, Colin Alexander and Richard Brewer, the Bermuda Squash Club said yesterday.

In the top women's category, local Denise Kyme will face the likes of England's Victoria Deans and Sandy Worthington of the United States.

The event, the first of its kind in Bermuda, has attracted 113 players (42 women and 71 men).

Standards range from recent beginners to national team player levels. It is being sponsored by Onions Bouchard & McCulloch as part of the architectural firm's 60th anniversary celebrations.

Spectators are welcome. The matches are being played from 5.20 to 10.20 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday, and 9.20 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The main event finals will run from 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. on Sunday followed by presentations.

KARATE MAT Bermuda Karate Organisation are preparing to send teams to a number of overseas events next year as they seek to further improve the local standard.

First up will be the AAU Karate Nationals in March, to be held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, attended by both junior and senior teams.

Another squad is then expected to travel to Okinawa, Japan, in August to compete in the Okinawa Karate and Kobudo World tournament.

Meanwhile, the Bermuda Karate Institute recently held a fund-raiser at Barr's Bay Park in aid of the BKO, featuring various running and fitness tests.

Antonio Calvinato shone in the fitness test by completing 60 push-ups, 70 springboard jumps, 351 double leg raises, 1,002 crunches and 1,110 jumping jacks.

JUNIOR GOLF GLF Next Saturday sees the start of a new Bermuda Junior Golf Association season with a senior/junior tournament to be played at Belmont under the Pinehurst format.

Following the tournament, the BJGA will hold their annual general meeting when a full schedule of events will be distributed to the junior players.

Those youngsters wishing to play in next Saturday's tournament should confirm their entry and partner's name with Derek Tully (297-1854) by Tuesday. Late entries won't be accepted.

TRIATHLON TRI Organisers have extended the entry deadline for next weekend's Bank of Bermuda team triathlon from today to Wednesday at 5.00 p.m. Entry forms can be picked up from and returned to the usual sports outlets.