HOUSTON (Reuters) -A Delaware court is inclined to deny a motion recently introduced by miner Gold Reserve to disqualify a rival bid from an affiliate of hedge fund Elliott Investment Management for the parent of Citgo Petroleum, Judge Leonard Stark said in a filing on Wednesday.

The court is set to begin the final sale hearing in the court-organized auction of shares next week, before Stark makes a decision on the auction's winner. The hearing will follow the preliminary selection last month of a $5.9 billion bid from Elliott's affiliate Amber Energy as the best offer so far submitted in the auction.