RACING NORTH ten-to-follow pick Jeepstar (2.55) is worthy of an each-way investment in the Great Metropolitan Stakes at Epsom.

With a maximum 20-runner field going to post it's bound to be a wide-open betting heat and I anticipate Jeepstar's starting price to be 10-1 or better. Although we are taking a calculated risk on his fitness having not seen action for 179 days, trainer Tim Easterby would not be trailing his horse all the way from North Yorkshire unless he thought his charge had a reasonable chance.

Despite having quite a hard season in 2003, Jeepstar never gave anything less than 100 percent in heat of battle, which is always a good sign especially if the £25,000 contest turns out to be an arduous slog in the anticipated slow ground.

King's Thought (3.30), a horse with an uncomplicated style of running, could be the answer to the following City And Suburban Handicap.

It's a very trappy event, however the hard-pulling King's Thought only knows one way to race and that is to give it the gun from the moment the stalls fly open. Blessed with a favourable low draw, Darryl Holland, who partners the selection, should soon have his rivals at full stretch as he pours on the pressure over the first mile.

Just whether the combination are able to give the opposition the slip and maintain their advantage right to the finishing line is open to question, but what we can be sure of is Holland's normally impeccable judgement of pace, which is a huge asset on a known front-runner.

Perth have put together an excellent jumps card for the time of year, the star of the show being Double Honour (3.40), who makes the long journey from Minehead in Somerset to take part in the Novices' Chase.

The official ratings suggest the Philip Hobbs-trained gelding will have no difficulty picking up the £15,000 affair, which combined with the dashing grey's accurate fencing should ensure victory in the two-and-a-half mile race.

Richard Guest's Lik Wood Power (6.30) has been performing with sufficient promise to collect the Video Services Handicap Hurdle at Worcester.

The seven-year-old made John Mackie's Mamboesque pull out all of the stops in a thrilling tussle at Huntingdon in February, and if bringing that level of form back to the table he'll be a hard horse to pass at the Midlands track.

l Today's meeting at Redcar is off due to waterlogging.

l Paul Hanagan was in top form at Newcastle yesterday, completing a double on Mister Mal and Lyford Lass - a first winner Ian Semple has trained for Evelyn, Duchess of Sutherland. Brian Ellison has his team in good form and Mister Mal was giving him his fourth success in seven days as he made most of the running in the Sharp Minds Betfair Handicap.