Next week?s May 24 Marathon Derby field is set to top 500 for the first time in several years and the women?s race is shaping up to be as formidable as the men?s after race director Trevor Cann dispelled weekend fears that there had been second thoughts over the inclusion of talented British runner Dawn Richardson.

Already 450 residents have signed up for the Island?s signature running race and, with late entries being accepted this Thursday and Friday, organisers believe the 500-barrier will be broken.

Among those taking part is Richardson, despite having been on the Island for less than the six months normally required by those competing in the Island?s premier event.

A runner with less than six months residency is only admitted if given special permission by the organisers. It was reported last week that Richardson had been granted permission. However, some doubts emerged at the weekend and left even the British runner uncertain if she was in or out.

This week, however, Cann said he had taking soundings from the running fraternity and veteran athletes and was satisfied the overwhelming feeling was that the sub-three hour marathoner, who has won two Bermuda road races in the past month, should be allowed to compete.

?The six-month rule is in place for one reason and that is to stop anyone coming to the Island to run as a ?weekend warrior? and then go back home. It is to deter people coming down on vacation and taking part,? said Cann.

Richardson, who won the Sir Stanley Burgess 5K this month in one of the fastest times by a woman on the Island, does not fall into the weekend warrior category, said Cann. He noted she had even offered not to run if her inclusion was going to result in controversy.

?She is living here and she is running for a charity and she has been doing road races here already. The running fraternity has welcomed her. I?ve had conversations with the senior veterans and they are in agreement that she should run,? he said.

The six-month rule will be looked at by the race committee. But Cann believes it won?t be scrapped outright but will be altered to make it less of a hurdle for competitors who are genuinely living on the Island.

He added: ?She (Richardson) has even said she might not run that well because of the heat.?

Richardson did not wish to comment on the race before the event. However, if she runs she is undoubtedly one of the hot favourites along with fellow sub-three hour marathoner Karen Bordage, triathlete Kim McMullen and Karen Smith.

Bordage has extra incentive as part of the 85-strong Team Hope, who are raising funds for the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy which caters for children with special needs.

It is a cause close to her heart as her own son Jeremy has cerebral palsy. It is planned to have as many of the Academy children at the finish line in Bernard Park as possible.

?Our team will be wearing the white Team Hope T-shirts and raising awareness for children with special needs. I?m looking forward to the race but because of Jeremy it also has more significance to be running for the team,? she said.

It is three years since she took part in 13.3 mile race shortly after returning to the sport after a lengthy break when she became a mother. Even so, she ran a commendable one hour, 38 minutes. This time she is looking to break 1:30 and believes there are at least four women in the race capable of doing the same.

?I?m looking forward to seeing how I do. Hopefully I can have a good race and not worry about what Dawn or the others are doing. Dawn is a fantastic runner and I?ll work to keep with her. It?s a tough course and the conditions play a huge role.?

The top 15 men in last year?s race have signed up for this year?s outing, and picking the winner at the sharp end of the field is not going to be easy with Larry and Lamont Marshall, seven-times runner-up Jay Donowa, reigning champion Terrance Armstrong, and multiple past champion Kavin Smith among the favourites.

More than 20 years ago, race director Cann ran a time of 1:17 on the route but still only finished 17th because of the strength-in-depth of the race fields in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

This week he thanked main sponsors Appleby Spurling Hunter, Barritt?s beverages and BGA wholesale distributors, for ensuring the race would be better supported than ever. He believes the build-up to the 2009 centenary of the first race will see the event improve still further.

Late entries for the race will be accepted at Devonshire Recreation Club this Thursday and Friday between 5:30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Race numbers for those already entered can also be collected between those times.