IN-FORM Stephen Hepples will use tomorrow's big Darlington 10K to prepare for his North-East representative debut in next weekend's star-studded Auckland Castle road race.

The 24-year old North Yorkshireman, who is one of the region's brightest middle-distance prospects, will make a late check on a niggling hamstring injury but looks set to line up at the head of a 1,000 field beside Darlington's Town Clock.

It will be Hepples' first appearance in the event, which has been dominated in recent years by Teessider Martin Scaife.

But the three-times winner is in Australia on an extended family holiday and his absence opens the way for Hepples to take over the crown.

The former Loftus AC runner, who now competes in the British Athletics League for Newham and Essex Beagles, should have gone into the race with a convincing victory under his belt. He had a commanding 200 metres lead in the Sale ten miler, only to be sent the wrong way by a marshal. By the time he realised his mistake he was unable to regain his lead.

The race winner, however, sportingly acknowledged that Hepples would have won and handed over the first prize to his rival.

It was the second time this year that Hepples had been involved in road race controversy. He was initially judged to be second in the Dewsbury 10K in February, but the race referee reversed his decision after studying a video recording of the finish, awarding first prize to Hepples, who had clocked a rapid 29 mins 48 secs.

Redcar-based Hepples, who was the first North-East runner home in last year's Auckland Castle 10K, has been picked with Belgrave's David Anderson to represent the region in the prestigious Inter Counties Championship, and the full team will be announced next week.

Tomorrow's women's race will also have a new champion. Last year's winner, Catherine Hare, of Loftus AC, is representing Great Britain in an international triathlon in Estonia and is unable to defend her title. Previous winner Bernadette Taylor has been hit by injury this summer after winning the Elswick road race at Easter, but the Darlington Harrier could still be a leading contender in her local event.

The race starts at 10.30am and late entries will be accepted (£9 club runners, £10 unattached) at the Dolphin Centre between 8.15 and 10 am.

* Reigning North-East cross country champion Neil Wilkinson won the region's 10K title in the Morpeth road race (31.58).