Bollin Eric, celebrated hero of last year's St Leger for Tim Easterby's Great Habton stable, makes strong each-way appeal at Ascot tomorrow in the biggest test of his career.

The prized North Yorkshire colt, again the mount of Kevin Darley, lines-up with 13 others, including three Derby winners, for the £750,000 King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and makes strong each-way appeal at his current odds.

Shop around the ante-post market and you'll find two or three bookmakers offering 20-1 about Eric's chances, a price hardly reflective of his chances.

Admittedly, he's without a win this season in four races, but on each occasion he's been saddled with a Group 1 penalty for winning the St Leger and on his latest start at Newmarket, he lost a shoe during the race and returned home slightly lame.

Prior to that, he ran a blinder over this course and distance to be only just collared by Indian Creek in the Hardwicke Stakes.

That form still falls short of what will be required to win this star-studded contest, but the advice is to go each-way on the big local hope. In his favour tomorrow is the surety of a strongly-run race, some ease in the ground, after expected rain, and, for once, the shrugging-off of that Group 1 penalty, which has anchored him all season.

It promises to be a crackerjack of a contest. Kris Kin (Kieren Fallon), winner of the Vodafone Derby at Epsom, Alamshar (Johnny Murtagh), winner of the Irish version and last year's French Derby winner Sulamani (Frankie Dettori) are all in the field, along with top-notch older horses like Nayef, winner of last year's International at York, and the Japan Cup winner Falbrav.

This is a race not to be missed and at least if you get the 20-1 each-way on Bollin Eric, you'll be getting a generous 5-1 on him finishing second or third.

Also worthy of attention at Ascot are the smart New Seeker (3.10), and the consistent Master Robbie (4.25), two horses who are already course winners.

Quite what the race-planning department is thinking of in allowing Newcastle and Redcar, two tracks in such close proximity, to race on the same afternoon, catering largely for the same people and similar horses, is a mystery.

Mick Easterby's progressive Blue Spinnaker, a good third at York earlier this month, has plenty going for him in Newcastle's feature race, the Beeswing Handicap. Ptarmigan Ridge, so unlucky at Ayr last time, should not be overlooked in the Freephone Stanley Handicap.

At Redcar, make a note of Killala (3.10), a winner ten days ago at Catterick, and the Richard Fahey-trained Riska King (3.40), who underlined his well-being at Beverley last week and who is awarded my Nap vote.

Tomorrow's tips:

Ascot

2.00 Loweswater, 2.35 Noyac, 3.10 New Seeker, 3.50 Bollin Eric, 4.25 Master Robbie, 5.00 Boogie Street, 5.35 Prins Willem.

Newcastle

1.20 Bandos, 1.55 Mantles Pride, 2.30 Vicious Warrior, 3.00 Blue Spinnaker, 3.30 Ptarmigan Ridge, 4.05 Charlotte Vale.

Redcar

1.10 Shirley Collins, 1.40 North Landing, 2.10 Johnny Parkes, 2.40 Prince Tara, 3.10 Killala, 3.40 Riska King (Nap).

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Nottingham (afternoon, Flat), and Stratford (afternoon, National Hunt).

Updated: 12:20 Friday, July 25, 2003