and maybe the ONLY one to have passed a full GFT at less than the 45 hours minimum!
I think you will find many old farts like me out there that not only completed in less than 45 hrs but managed it in 35 when this was an option - it had to be at an approved school and IIRC had to be done in under 6 months to be allowed to reduce the hours to that but many did it, especially many on air cadet scholarships which, in those days, gave you 30 hours in a 4 week period.
As far as the exemtion goes I think you will find a few that have managed it ok - the extra training I believe is on top of the "old" hours, so what you have done after should cover it.