It was pretty chilly at Exeter's New Year's Day fixture, but the fact that it went ahead at all was a triumph for the course, writes Nick Hearder.

The steeplechase track was frozen so a hurdles-only card was staged. The staff at the track did a sterling job and parts of the course were covered to keep them raceable.

A big and enthusiastic holiday crowd braved the cold and was treated to fine entertainment. The success of Tatiano, ridden by Sam Thomas and trained by champion Paul Nicholls, in the opening Thurlestone Hotel Novices' Hurdle, warmed the hearts of favourite backers.

Thomas had little to worry about as his mount skipped round for a comfortable all-the-way victory, but the winner's starting price of 1-6 would not have made his backers very rich.

The rest of the meeting was more difficult to solve as no subsequent victor was among the first three in the betting!

The biggest surprise came in the Bathwick Tyres Plymouth Novices' Hurdle division two, over two miles three furlongs. Manmoon, a 50-1 shot trained by Nigel Hawke in Woolminstone, Somerset, short-headed Express Leader, another odds-on hotpot from Nicholls' yard. Manmoon, ridden by David Dennis, was headed by Express Leader after leading to the fourth but rallied well to pass him and then held on when his rival rallied in his turn.

There was, appropriately, a winner for Devon in division one of the Billy Williams Memorial Novices' Handicap Hurdle. The race was named after a man who was often seen at Exeter as a jockey and a trainer and was based in Devon.

Williams' son Ian, a successful trainer himself, saddled Euro Import to be fifth, but it was Chris Down, the Cullompton handler, who took the prize with Nearly A Breeze. This nine-year-old mare led at the last under 10lb claimer Danny Burton to score by nine lengths from Ashwell Lad.

Penn Da Benn, the 12-1 rank outsider of eight, won the second division of the Bathwick Tyres Hurdle. The gelding, an impressive hurdles winner in France, had disappointed his owner Terry Warner and top trainer Alan King after coming to the UK.

Warner was on the point of giving away the six-year-old, but this success off top weight will have changed his mind. Penn Da Benn, who drifted from 17-2 in the betting, was pulling double when hitting the front under Jack Doyle. He ran on well to beat Wychwood's Legend by six lengths.

The second 2009 meeting at Exeter is scheduled for Wednesday, January 28.