IT was business as usual at the Ludlow Hunt point-to-point meeting at Bitterley on Saturday when the odds-on favourite Well Ted justified favouritism by returning to winning ways in the Land Rover qualifier Men's Open race.

Dropped well off the pace on the first circuit by Julian Pritchard, Well Ted made ground smoothly on the final circuit and once the partnership had swept into the lead at the fifth last fence the result was never in doubt as they scored by six lengths.

Rusty Fellow stayed on reliably to take second place close home but the win for Well Ted, made up for a runners-up place last time out. But trainer Dick Baimbridge confirmed that the winner will not take up his place in the Land Rover final as his style of jumping is too flat for regulation fences.

The Ladies Open race saw Upton Adventure and Emma James sent off favourites in the nine runner race and racegoers were treated to a race of cat and mouse as first Mounthenry Star and then Gill'mar tried to burn off the favourite's finishing spurt.

Candy Thomas aboard Gill'mar seized the initiative, poaching a lead down the back straight of the final circuit and staying on.

The win was a fitting reward for owner Mickey Wiggin who is the landlord of the course and welcomed back the Geoff Evans trained runner. Ray Rogers at 49 scored his second winner in a division of the Maiden race aboard Miss Moss for owners Alan and Sue Simcock from Bromyard. Rogers, who has been amateur 'whipper-in' of the North Hereford Hunt for over twenty years, showed a fine judge of pace as he challenged again at the final fence, scoring by eight lengths from runner-up Finne Gaoithe and Mark Munrowd.

The first division of the maiden fell to Ann Price's Huntersway and Steve Lloyd.

Results: Members: 1. High Mood(R Cooper) 7/4, 2. Cadougold 4/6F, 3. Snitton West 14/1. 4 ran.

Confined: 1. Coole venture (R Burton) 4/7 F, 2. Titus Bramble 9/4, 3. Mr Nabarro 5/1. 7 ran. Open: 1. Well Ted (J Pritchard) 4/9F, 2. Rusty Fellow 9/1, 3. Wild Edric 4/1. 7 ran. Maiden 5,6,7 yo (Div1): 1. Huntersway (S Lloyd) 3/1, 2. Mountain Lily 2/1F. 3. Italian Clover, 8/1. 7 ran. Maiden 5,6,7 yo (Div 2): 1. Miss Moss (R Rogers) 12/1, 2. Finne Gaoithe 4/1, 3. Nealie Mac 14/1. 10 ran. Ladies: 1. Gill'mar (C Thomas) 6/1, 2. Upton Adventure 5/4F, 3. Prestige Lord 16/1. 9 ran. Restricted: 1. Room to Room (P Grundry), 2. Winning Town 10/1, 3. Brave Albert 7/1, 16 ran. Maiden 8 yo + : 1. Rockwelda (A Wintle) 3/1F, 2. Almost a Day 10/1, 3. Maori Chief 8/1 14 ran.

l Adrian Wintle followed up his success with an opening win at Sunday's Cotswold Vale Farmers' meeting at Maisemore on Macy and completed a double aboard the odds-on favourite Northern Deal in the Mixed Open race.