THE new point-to-point season kicks off in the North with the inaugural Ratcheugh Racing Club meeting at Alnwick a week tomorrow.

The Yorkshire action starts a month later on January 15 with the popular Area Point to Point Club meeting at Sheriff Hutton.

The West of Yore fixture, absent from the Yorkshire schedules since 2005, makes a welcome return on April 29 at the new Whitcliffe Grange course near Ripon, with another welcome addition to the list being the South Durham Farmers Hunt Club at Mordon on February 26.

John Wade deserves plenty of credit for getting the latter event off the ground and securing sponsorship for the entire meeting.

The Braes of Derwent fixture at Corbridge on April 22 will again offer the best prize money in the Northern Area with a record total of £2,850 up for grabs, including a first prize of £350 in the featured Men’s and Ladies’ Open Races, while the popular Cumberland Farmers card has the prime Easter Monday slot for the first time.

Admission prices for the 18 Northern Area meetings have been held at last season’s levels and offer excellent value for money, at either £10 per person including a racecard or £8 per person, with racecards available for £2.

The popularity of Sunday racing is underlined by the fact that 70% of the 36 fixtures across the North take place on the Sabbath, with racegoers not seeing any Saturday action until March 17.

Tristan Davidson, 32, is favourite to land the Northern Area Men’s Jockeys Championship for the third season in a row, with plenty of quality rides for Newton-by-the-Sea owner/trainer Victor Thompson.

Even though prolific winner Indian Print is currently on the sidelines with a leg injury, Thompson has strengthened his hand with a quartet from Howard Johnson’s yard comprising Senor Alco, Monogram, Gin Cobbler and unraced four-year-old gelding Mandarin Sunset.

The former has been placed in bumpers and over hurdles, while Monogram has notched up two wins and five placings from eight outings under Rules.

In addition, Chosen Keys, Tommysteel and Sharivarry, who were purchased earlier this year at Doncaster Sales, have several placings between them in Irish Points, while former Dessie Hughes-trained maiden hurdler Mr Shahady is another to follow.

Thompson’s son Mark also aims to keep the family flag flying with Victory Surge, Vannin and Maura My Love being campaigned by him from an adjoining yard.

The former, purchased at Cheltenham Sales for £6,500 out of Jonjo O’Neill’s yard, has winning form over hurdles and fences, while the lightly-raced five-year-old gelding Vannin finished runner-up in three bumpers before being placed over hurdles at Hexham in March 2010.

Belsay-based owner/rider Drew Holmes enjoyed four wins last season on Bafana Boy and Stark Raven, and further success should come his way with Silent Cliche, bought privately in May from Howard Johnson.

This 124-rated chaser and 121-rated hurdler was placed in six of his 10 starts under Rules and once finished fourth to Restless Harry at Cheltenham.

Reigning Northern Area Novice Riders’ champion Kit Alexander, 19, will again be taking time off from his studies at Durham University to partner winning chaser, Commercial Express and Flaming Thistle.

PETER BURGON

2011/12 Northern Area Fixtures

Sun Dec 11 Ratcheugh Racing Club (Alnwick)

Sun Jan 22 West Percy (Alnwick)

Sun Jan 29 Jedforest (Kelso)

Sun Feb 12 Dumfriesshire & Stewartry (Crossford)

Sun Feb 19 Percy (Alnwick)

Sun Mar 4 Tynedale (Corbridge)

Sun Mar 11 College Valley/North Northumberland (Alnwick)

Sat Mar 17 Duke of Buccleuch’s (Kelso)

Sat Mar 24 Eglinton, Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire (Crossford)

Sun Apr 1 Berwickshire (Kelso)

Sat Apr 7 Morpeth (Tranwell)

Mon Apr 9 Cumberland Farmers (Dalston)

Sun Apr 22 Braes of Derwent (Corbridge)

Sat Apr 28 Fife (Balcormo Mains)

Sun May 6 Lauderdale (Mosshouses)

Sat May 12 Cumberland (Aspatria)

Sun May 20 Border (Hexham Racecourse)

Sun Jun 3 Haydon (Hexham Racecourse)

2012 Yorkshire Area Fixtures

Sun Jan 15 Area Pt-to-Pt Club (Sheriff Hutton)

Sun Feb 5 Old Raby Hunt Club (Witton Castle)

Sun Feb 12 Sinnington (Helmsley)

Sun Feb 26 South Durham Hunt Farmers Club (Mordon)

Sun Mar 4 Derwent (Wykeham)

Sun Mar 11 Holderness (Dalton Park)

Sat Mar 17 Hurworth (Hutton Rudby)

Sun Mar 25 Badsworth & Bramham Moor (Ripon)

Sun Apr 1 Middleton (Whitwell-on-the-Hill)

Sat Apr 7 Bedale (Hornby Castle)

Mon Apr 9 Staintondale (Wykeham)

Sun Apr 15 Cleveland (Mordon)

Sun Apr 22 York & Ainsty (Easingwold)

Sun Apr 29 West of Yore (Ripon)

Sun May 6 Pendle Forest & Craven (Skipton)

Mon May 7 Zetland (Witton Castle)

Sun May 13 Bilsdale ( Easingwold)

Sat May 19 South Durham (Mordon)