Bradford supermarket giant Morrisons was today tipped to emerge from a Competition Commission inquiry into its bid for Safeway as the favourite to clinch the spoils.

The commission, which is investigating the Morrisons bid along with those from rivals Asda (WalMart), Tesco and Sainsbury, will report its findings on Tuesday.

The conclusions will then be passed on to Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt who is expected to make a final decision in early September.

The latest bookies' odds show Morrisons as 3/1 joint favourite to win the race, along with entrepreneur Philip Green and Asda (WalMart).

But today a Leeds-based stockbroker, whose firm has been closely connected with Morrisons since its flotation in 1967, claimed the Bradford company was the clear favourite of the Competition Commission.

Broker Michael Coleman, of Redmayne-Bentley, said the business had been widely "misunderstood" by southern analysts who were sceptical of the chain which is largely based in the north.

"But now it is getting the message through that it is much more than a 'pile 'em high' operation as it campaigns for the hearts and pockets of Safeway shareholders and customers," he said.

Only retail entrepreneur Philip Green, the billionaire boss of high street shopping giant BHS, stood in the way of Morrisons winning the race, he added.

"As things stand, the Morrisons-Safeway merger idea should survive the commission's review pretty well unscathed - while Green's potential bid was never referred. If these two go head to head, it's going to be a battle royal between two big hitters. But my money is on Sir Ken winning the day."