Jay Donawa, winner of the Princess to Princess Road Race two years in a row, is hot favourite to make it four out of four tomorrow.

The 7.1 mile event gets underway at Fairmont Hamilton Princess at 9.30 a.m. A shorter 3k race for juniors will start at Heron Bay Market Place at the same time. Both races will finish at the Whaler Inn, beneath the Fairmont Southampton Princess.

With the Island's top runner Kavin Smith expected to give the race a miss once again this year, Donawa is tipped to lead the season-opening event's field of 170 runners.

Last year Donawa won in a time of 38 minutes and 41 seconds, three quarters of a minute slower than his time of 38.56 the previous year.

Tracy Wright was second last year in 40.00, while Brett Forgesson was third in 40.50 followed by Sylvester Jean-Pierre, winner of the Masters division, in 41.06 and Devoe Whaley in 42.40.

Race Director Newton Adcock said that while Smith was not running, other top names, in addition to the defending champion, were Forgesson, defending women's champion Anna Eatherley and Karen Smith who could offer her a strong challenge.

Eatherley had a time of 45.05, last year while Lynn Patchett was second in 46.08 and Victoria Fiddick third in 47.53.

Adcock said late entries would be accepted right up until tomorrow morning. He expected the overall field to be around 220.