BIG crowds will see a record number of point-to-pointers going for glory as the new Yorkshire season gets under way at Sheriff Hutton on Sunday.

Mick Easterby’s course, on his New House Farm land, is gaining a growing reputation for being a fair test - and 151 entries have been received for the Yorkshire Point-to-Point Club’s seven-race card.

On familiar ground, the Easterby family will once again be looking to dominate proceedings as the sport’s top horses and jockeys descend on the three-mile course.

Stephanie Easterby, a new mum, will have her first runners since giving birth on Boxing Day, along with husband David, while Mick’s daughter, Cherry Coward, and granddaughters Jacqueline Coward and Joanna Mason will also be gunning for winners.

The latter pair will be riding a number of the family’s runners at the meeting, with Harry Bannister forced to miss the campaign’s opener because of a whip ban.

The first race, a conditions contest for members of the Point-to-Point club, has been split after 43 entries were received.

Dica, who finished second last year and was never out of the first two in his races, will be a big threat to the rest of the field if he turns up in a similar vein of form.

Banny’s Lad goes for Stephanie Easterby in the second division and she said: “He is in top form. He should have matured and has summered well.

“This is the start of our season.

The meeting has raised a lot of money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance over the years and is well worth doing. It’s a family event too.”

The second division will also see the meeting’s secretary, Christine Drury, run Railway Dillon - a former Donald McCain inmate.

“We’ll find out a bit more about him,” she said.

“He has schooled very well but the trip is a little unknown at the moment. Emma Todd will ride him.”

Harry Kinder will make his race-riding debut in the Restricted race when he climbs aboard Baileys Benchmark for Easterby’s near neighbour Gillian Walford, while Ockey De Neulliac, who took the pointing world by storm last season and has already won at Alnwick in December, will take all the beating in the Ladies Open.

Former Cheltenham Festival winner Junior could make his pointing debut for Nicky Tinkler in the Men’s Open. He is trained on behalf of Middleham Park Racing Club.

David Easterby is confident Norton Grove can figure in the first of two closing Maiden races, while Belgian Chocolate could run a big race for the powerful Coward yard in the last race - over two-and-a half miles - for four, five, six and seven-year-olds.

The debutant Yearsley could also go close for Margaret Cooper and trainer Gillian Walford.

Drury added: “Last year, we donated £14,000 to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and, over the past six years, we have been thrilled to raise more than £70,000 for them.

“The event continues to grow every year and we have some new talent riding with the likes of Emma Todd and Will Milburn.

“We are continually grateful to Michael Easterby for each year allowing us to use his land.”

Racing starts at noon and the postcode for satellite navigation is YO60 7TN.

Admission is £10 per person and racecards are £3 each.