EVERY owner and trainer starts a new point-to-point season with high hopes, writes Peter Mansell.

Some have their aspirations met, while others suffer the indignity of seeing their pride and joy failing to live up to expectations.

We look at some of the stables that could be making the news when the season commences on January 2.

Debbie Ewing - Dunlow Common

Debbie Ewing specialises in improving horses jumping techniques and she did well to extract a win from Pat Conlon's Family Business last year. He has done well over the summer and could be a candidate for hunter chases later in the season.

Ewing came back from Doncaster last May with two new inmates. The Yorkshire sales venue is always a good source of winners and she was able to pick up Irish Maiden winner Thompsons Wood relatively cheaply. Island Lord ran out on his first outing and was then pulled-up in the Irish Maiden but Ewing is confident that with a 'bit of education', improvement should be forthcoming. The final horse in her Ledbury stable is Rusty Broomstick, who is a half sister to winning pointer Rusty Buck.

Emma Wilesmith - Dymock

Cotton On returns from a spell on the sidelines and that cannot have helped his cause; while This One is a Boy has been busy eventing during the summer. His form last year was nothing to shout about but he has a chance of returning to the winners' enclosure based on his fourth place at Whitwick.

The rest are basically unknown quantities. Mountain Singer has had five runs but the best he could achieve was an eighth place in a Taunton Bumper while Mrs White, an Alfora six-year-old has had just one educational run at Worcester. They are due to be joined by an as yet un-named youngster, which the Wilesmith's are hoping to call The Humble Butler.

Clive Bennett - Dymock

Balinova broke down when winning at Huntingdon last season but his owner reports that he is responding well to stem cell treatment but this means he will miss the forthcoming campaign.

I am Said I is also sidelined, so Fertile Valley will be the stable's main hope this year. He is unbeaten in three runs in Bennett's colours but the yard have to be extremely patient with this one, who stood just one run last year.

Greensleeves showed the benefit of stronger handling by taking an Andoversford Maiden under William Hill and it will be disappointing if she cannot follow up in a Restricted.

Bennett has another homebred mare called The Queen's Fool (who is related to Greensleeves) that has to be capable of winning a Maiden, while Darkarrow returns after missing 2005.

The quintet is made up by Boolabawn. The six-year-old was pulled up on his first three runs in Irish point-to-points, but that form is always difficult to equate so this horse's first couple of runs should prove very informative.

James Jones - Pendock

James Jones is training a couple of horses for Beacon Oils proprietor Mervyn Davies. One Dawn showed some potential last year but whether he can improve at the age of 11 is debatable.

No Stranger has come over from Ireland where he has won three point-to-points. He also finished seventh when favourite for a Hunter Chase in February.

Clive Hitchings - Hanley Swan

Clive Hitchings is an avid supporter of point-to-pointing and he reaped the rewards last year when he became the leading owner in the country.

This was a vast improvement on totals achieved in previous seasons and Andy Hobbs must take credit for this achievement.

Fane Counsel ran just once last year, finishing second at Barbury Castle in January. He has obvious ability but his appearances are becoming less frequent. The Brooklet is something of a Maisemore specialist, with all three of his successes coming at this popular riverside venue, while Fontain Again ran consistently last year without ever getting his head in front.

Royal Jake (owned by Hitchings's son Charles) took a couple of races to find his form last year when quickly made his mark with a double in open races. His fron- running tactics and immaculate jumping stood him in good stead in those contests and he could run up a sequence if campaigned at this level.

Jarode won once at Garnons but had his limitations exposed thereafter, while Saint Reverein and Springbrook Girl were both major contributors to the stables' tally during 2005.

The latter is reported to be running in Ladies Open where he could be joined by the ex-Peter Bowen trained Qabas, who was placed five times on the flat and won three from 13 under NH Rules.

It is good to see Hobbs getting support from other owners after his successes last year. Hobbs used to train Scarface when he had a licence under rules but after unsuccessful spells with Martin Pipe and Jonjo O'Neill, the nine-year-old is now back in Hobbs's care and could make his mark in this grade.

It is difficult to judge Alayzeass's potential after just one run last year but as the formbook suggests 'her name does not inspire confidence'. He also has a young mare for David Richards, those with long memories will remember that he had a useful horse called Dempsey about 20 years ago.

Premium First won a four-year-old Maiden point-to-point over in Ireland prior to winning a Wetherby Bumper for Heather Dalton and also finished second in a Novice Chase at the same venue 18 months later.

Hitchings also has Future Sovereign based with Sheila Crow up in Shropshire and after some disappointing efforts, he won nicely at Coldharbour, which augurs well for the future.

Other stables to be featured next week include, Claudia Wilesmith (nee Steele) at Upton, Roy Shail at Hollybush, Mike Daniell at Upton, Nicky Sheppard at Eastnor and Tim Stephenson at Castlemorton.

Area meetings

Saturday, February 11, Harkaway Club at Chaddesley Corbett.

Saturday, March 4, Duke of Beaufort at Didmarton.

Sunday, March 12, Cotswold at Andoversford.

Saturday, April 1, Worcestershire at Chaddesley Corbett.

Sunday, April 2, Ledbury at Maisemore Park.

Sunday, April 9, Cotswold Vale Farmers at Andoversford.

Monday, April 17, North Cotswold at Paxford.

Tuesday, April 19, Croome and West Warwickshire at Upton-upon-Severn.

Saturday, April 22, Berkeley at Woodford.

Monday, May 1, North Ledbury at Maisemore Park.

Sunday, May 7, Wheatland at Chaddesley Corbett.

Sunday, May 21, Clifton-on-Teme at Upper Sapey.

Monday, May 29, Albrighton Woodland at Chaddesley Corbett.