December is proving to be something of a hot spell for head-scratching winners. Monday, 15th December saw Richard Morrissey’s It’s Bobsled Time rip up the script when scoring at 250/1 in Ireland to hand his trainer his first winner in over a decade.
Four days later, the Devon track of Exeter took its turn in the shock result spotlight with a result that set a new benchmark in Britain. The Nigel Hawke-trained Blowers was the unlikely star on this occasion, as he defied the laws of probability to come home in front at odds of 300/1!
Sodden Exeter Survives Inspection
Blowers very nearly didn’t get his chance to shine at all. Having experienced 50mm of rain since Monday, the meeting at Exeter was in doubt. Thankfully, for connections, the course passed an inspection on Thursday morning.
Racing goes ahead today after passing this mornings inspection, but we will continue to monitor conditions for our PricedUp Christmas Cup Raceday
Tickets are still available to purchase online aswell as on the gate!
Gates Open: 11:00am| First Race: 12:30pm | Last Race: 15:30pm pic.twitter.com/fuNflMF8vm— Exeter Racecourse (@ExeterRaces) December 18, 2025
Those braving the weather to travel to Exeter were met with sustained rainfall, turning the already heavy ground into something resembling a bog. By the end of race five, the conditions had become unraceable, seeing the remainder of the meeting abandoned. However, those first five races did go ahead, and the first to take to the track were the inexperienced hurdlers in the pricedup.bet Maiden Hurdle.
Blowers Ploughs Through the Mud to Stun Favourite
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Blowers | 300/1 | Nigel Hawke | James Best |
| 2nd | On The Bayou | 5/4F | Harry Fry | Harry Cobden |
| 3rd | Lasko Des Obeaux | 11/8 | Harry Derham | Paul O’Brien |
Having won a point-to-point on soft ground and finished an encouraging fifth in a Bumper, Harry Fry’s On The Bayou looked like one of the more obvious contenders and duly started as the 5/4 favourite. Harry Derham’s Lasko Des Obeaux was another with credible claims, having filled the runners-up position in his point-to-point and finished second on his hurdle debut at Chepstow.
Making a case for the 10 other runners became increasingly difficult as you moved down the betting list. Trickiest of all was rank outsider Blowers, whose main point of interest centred around the cricket theme of his name. Sired by Jack Hobbs, who was named in honour of the legendary English batsman, Blowers’ name references the cricket commentator Henry Blofeld.
Those with a soft spot for cricket may have been tempted to throw a couple of pounds in Blowers’ direction, but the horse had precisely nothing to recommend him on form. Raced once in the Point-to-Point sphere for Heidi McCreesh, he finished 59 lengths adrift of the winner when fifth of six at Larkhill. Making the move to the Nigel Hawke operation on 1 December, he made his rules debut in a Novice Hurdle at Chepstow. Racing in last throughout, he jumped left at some obstacles, clattered others, and was ultimately pulled up before the third last.
Despite those dubious form credentials, Blowers was sent straight to the head of affairs by James Best. His habit of jumping out to his left remained, but the slow pace in the treacherous conditions seemed to suit Blowers’ plodding style. Finding a nice rhythm, he slowly but surely began to forge clear, with only the market leader, On The Bayou, for company.
Approaching the third last, Blowers and On The Bayou were the only two in contention, with four of the field having pulled up. What followed was a gruelling, slow-motion tussle up the straight, with neither of the duelling leaders giving an inch. Then, in the final furlong, On The Bayou finally cracked, leaving Blowers to pull three-quarters of a length clear for the unlikely success.
Answering the Phone Pays Off for Best
For James Best, this represented the most improbable winner of his career, particularly as he only picked up the ride on the morning of the race. Having partnered Blowers at Chepstow, Ella Herbison was due to take the ride again. However, traffic problems in Ireland saw the rider miss her flight. This led to a phone call to Best, which the rider almost didn’t answer. Recounting the tale, Best said:
“Ella Herbison was meant to ride him. I was on my way to riding out on the M5 at ten past six, and a random, unknown Irish number rang me. Sometimes I don’t answer, and I didn’t know who it was.”
A New British Record
At 300/1, Blowers became the longest-priced winner in the history of British racing. 300/1 shots He Holds No Fear and Sawbuck had scored in Ireland, but the previous British record was held by 250/1 chance Equinoctial, who came home in front at Kelso in 1990.
