Point to-point racing in Oxfordshire breaks new ground this season with Dunthrop, near Chipping Norton, staging the first pre-Christmas meeting this Sunday.

The Farmers Bloodhounds fixture has been allocated the new date following the closure of Mollington, near Banbury, where they raced in May.

The Hunt will be keeping their fingers crossed frost doesn't affect the meeting as their previous three fixtures from 2004-6 scheduled for Dunthrop were frozen off.

Sunday's feature race, the mixed open, could see a clash between Irilut, from Robert Waley-Cohen's Edge Hill yard, near Banbury, and Chicuelo, a winner at Dunthrop last season for Mervyn Loggin's Hinton-in-the-Hedges' yard, near Brackley.

First of seven races is 11am. For latest information call Talking Point 09068 446060 or go to www.pointtopoint.co.uk.

LOCAL FIXTURES Sun, Dec 16: Farmers Bloodhounds (Dunthrop, nr Chipping Norton). Sun, Jan 20: Heythrop (Dunthrop). Sun, March 2: Bicester with Whaddon Chase (Dunthrop). Sat, March 8: Oxford University Hunt Club (Kingston Blount, nr Chinnor). Sat, March 22: Vale of Aylesbury with Garth & South Berks (Kimble, nr Aylesbury). Mon, March 24: Old Berks (Lockinge, nr Wantage). Sat, April 19: Vale of Aylesbury with Garth & South Berks (Kingston Blount). Sat, May 10: Vale of Aylesbury with Garth & South Berks (Kingston Blount). Sun, May 25: Berks & Bucks Draghounds (Kingston Blount).