The Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle is a fiercely competitive handicap over 3 miles on day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival. This handicap always attracts a decent field size as was the case in last year’s renewal when 22 runners headed to post. With so many selections to choose from, GG’s experts have analysed this Grade 3 handicap in fine detail so that you can find this year’s winner.
Andrew Mount’s Pertemps Final Tips
Andrew Mount’s NAP of the meeting is Bold Endeavour in the Pertemps Final. He was placed at 50/1 in this two seasons ago, is much lower in the handicap, and has found renewed form since being back with Nicky Henderson.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Pertemps Final Tips
Matty Sutcliffe is backing Electric Mason for the Gordons. Matty believes he has been laid out for this after winning a qualifier at Haydock earlier this season.
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 6, Thursday 12th March 4:40
All About the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle in 2026
It looks like the Pertemps Final could be as open as ever in 2026. As a race in which horses have to qualify at various points throughout the season, we should know the full make-up of the handicap and the field soon enough.
Supremely West has some solid form in the book and has been held back for the Pertemps Final. He looks to be a leading contender, but plenty will line up with a notable chance. C’est Different is prominent in the betting, whilst the likes of Electric Mason, Minella Emperor and Ace Of Spades add more depth to the event.
Qualifications/Trends
The Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle is open to five-year-olds and upwards. Despite being open to the five-year-old age group, only two horses have been ever been successful at that age, those were Pragada in 1988 and more recently the Gordon Elliot trained Delta Work in 2018.
This Grade 3 handicap was a race that was previously dominated by the British trained runners with trainer Jonjo O’Neil landing the day 3 contest a record four times. However, The Cheltenham Festival had been synonymous with Irish trained winners more recently, with seven of the last eight contests going the way of the Irish. Hughie Morrison gave the Brits an overdue success in the race in 2022, with it remaining on home shores again in 2024 courtesy of Paul Nicholls’ Monmiral.
The Leopardstown Christmas Festival qualifier rates a big form line for this handicap contest in most recent seasons. Mall Dini finished fourth in that event before going on to festival glory in 2016 and a similar path was taken for 2021 impressive winner Mrs Milner who also ran in that event Leopardstown prior to tasting Festival glory.
This is generally a contest to avoid the market leaders as only three horses have justified favouritism since 2000, those being Inching Closer (2003), Fingal Bay (2014) and Sire Du Berlais (2019). Only two previous winners have carried top-weight to victory in this handicap with Sire Du Berlais putting a strong staying performance in 2020 and Fingal Bay just prevailing by the smallest of margins in 2014 for trainer Philip Hobbs. Whilst Creon in 2004 carried the lowest riding weight to victory for Jonjo O’Neil off just 10st.
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle History
The race first took place in 1974 and throughout its early history was known as the Coral Golden Hurdle Final. Pertemps started to sponsor the contest from 2002.
The Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle is the final of a series. Horses must finish within the first four positions of any previous eligible qualifiers in order to participate in March at the Festival. Qualifying events are held earlier in the season in Britain, Ireland and France. The final was originally classed as a Listed race before being upgraded to Grade 3 status in 2018.
There have been some past notable star performers that have featured in this contest before going on to future success. Forgive ’n’ Forget landed this contest in 1983 before heading back to the festival in 1985 to win the Gold Cup for connections. In recent times, Pineau De Re lined up in the 2014 renewal to finish a close third before heading to Aintree a month later to land the Grand National for Dr Richard Newland., while Sire Du Berlais was twice a winner of this before his shock Stayers’ Hurdle success in 2023 at the age of 11.

Winners since 2000
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Rubhahunish | J:Carl Llewellyn T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 8/1 |
| 2001 | VOID | J:N/A T:N/A | VOID |
| 2002 | Freetown | J:Tony Dobbin T:Len Lungo | 20/1 |
| 2003 | Inching Closer | J:Barry Geraghty T:Jonjo O’Neill | 6/1F |
| 2004 | Creon | J:Timmy Murphy T:Jonjo O’Neill | 50/1 |
| 2005 | Oulart | J:Paul Carberry T:Dessie Hughes | 10/1 |
| 2006 | Kadoun | J:Tom Ryan T:Michael O’Brien | 50/1 |
| 2007 | Oscar Park | J:Tom Doyle T:David Arbuthnot | 14/1 |
| 2008 | Ballyfitz | J:Paddy Brennan T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 18/1 |
| 2009 | Kayf Aramis | J:Aidan Coleman T:Venetia Williams | 16/1 |
| 2010 | Buena Vista | J:Hadden Frost T:David Pipe | 16/1 |
| 2011 | Buena Vista | J:Conor O’Farrell T:David Pipe | 20/1 |
| 2012 | Cape Tribulation | J:Denis O’Regan T:Malcolm Jefferson | 14/1 |
| 2013 | Holywell | J:Richie McLernon T:Jonjo O’Neill | 25/1 |
| 2014 | Fingal Bay | J:Richard Johnson T:Philip Hobbs | 9/2F |
| 2015 | Call The Cops | J:Andrew Tinkler T:Nicky Henderson | 9/1 |
| 2016 | Mall Dini | J:Davy Russell T:Pat Kelly | 14/1 |
| 2017 | Presenting Percy | J:Davy Russell T:Pat Kelly | 11/1 |
| 2018 | Delta Work | J:Davy Russell T:Gordon Elliott | 6/1 |
| 2019 | Sire Du Berlais | J:Barry Geraghty T:Gordon Elliott | 4/1F |
| 2020 | Sire Du Berlais | J:Barry Geraghty T:Gordon Elliott | 10/1 |
| 2021 | Mrs Milner | J:Bryan Cooper T:Paul Nolan | 12/1 |
| 2022 | Third Wind | J:Tom O’Brien T:Hughie Morrison | 25/1 |
| 2023 | Good Time Jonny | J:Liam Mckenna (5) T:Tony Martin | 9/1 |
| 2024 | Monmiral | J:Harry Cobden T:Paul Nicholls | 25/1 |
| 2025 | Doddiethegreat | J:Brian Hughes T:Nicky Henderson | 25/1 |
| 2026 | Supremely West | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 100/30F |
Cheltenham Festival Racing Schedule
| Time | Race | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle | 2m 3f 168y |
| 2:00 | Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase | 2m 4f |
| 2.40 | Mares’ Hurdle | 2m 3f 200y |
| 3.20 | Ryanair Chase | 2m 4f 127y |
| 4.00 | Stayers’ Hurdle | 2m 7f 213y |
| 4:40 | Pertemps Final | 2m 7f 213y |
| 5:20 | Kim Muir Handicap Chase | 3m 2f |