New Course
To stand a chance of featuring in the Pertemps Final, runners needed to have finished in the top four in any of the qualifying races that were held earlier in the season, with a guarantee for the winners. It’s a rather unique event in this aspect but it’s something which means this race consistently has a jam-packed field.
Taking place for the first time in 1974, this handicap hurdle was promoted to Grade 3 level in 2018 having previously being Listed class. This was reclassified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 renewal.
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Course Map (New Course)
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Past Winners
| Year | Winner | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Doddiethegreat | 25/1 | Nicky Henderson | Brian Hughes |
| 2024 | Monmiral | 25/1 | Paul Nicholls | Harry Cobden |
| 2023 | Good Time Jonny | 9/1 | Tony Martin | Liam McKenna |
| 2022 | Third Wind | 25/1 | Hughie Morrison | Tom O'Brien |
| 2021 | Mrs Milner | 12/1 | Paul Nolan | Bryan Cooper |
| 2020 | Sire Du Berlais | 10/1 | Gordon Elliott | Barry Geraghty |
| 2019 | Sire Du Berlais | 4/1 | Gordon Elliott | Barry Geraghty |
| 2018 | Delta Work | 6/1 | Gordon Elliott | Davy Russell |
| 2017 | Presenting Percy | 11/1 | Pat Kelly | Davy Russell |
| 2016 | Mall Dini | 14/1 | Pat Kelly | Davy Russell |
| 2015 | Call The Cops | 9/1 | Nicky Henderson | Andrew Tinkler |
| 2014 | Fingal Bay | 9/2 | Philip Hobbs | Richard Johnson |
| 2013 | Holywell | 25/1 | Jonjo O'Neill | Richie McLernon |
| 2012 | Cape Tribulation | 14/1 | Malcolm Jefferson | Denis O'Regan |
| 2011 | Buena Vista | 20/1 | David Pipe | Conor O'Farrell |
| 2010 | Buena Vista | 16/1 | David Pipe | Hadden Frost |
| 2009 | Kayf Aramis | 16/1 | Venetia Williams | Aidan Coleman |
| 2008 | Ballyfitz | 18/1 | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Paddy Brennan |
| 2007 | Oscar Park | 14/1 | David Arbuthnot | Tom Doyle |
| 2006 | Kadoun | 50/1 | Michael O'Brien | Tom Ryan |
About the Pertemps Final Hurdle: Hugely Competitive Stayers Handicap
The organisers of the Cheltenham Festival understandably make a big deal of the fact that there are thirteen Grade 1 races taking place across the four days of action. Race goers love the chance to see the very best horses across the various divisions compete against one another but punters always enjoy getting their teeth stuck into a competitive betting heat and in that regard there is nothing quite like a handicap.
The Pertemps Final Hurdle is one such race that always provides plenty of opportunity for punters. Not only is this three mile contest a handicap but it is one that all the competitors must qualify for earlier on in the National Hunt season.
There are 16 different opportunities in Britain and Ireland for connections to get their horses into the Pertemps Final Hurdle and have a crack at a winner’s prize that is over £61,000 in 2026. These are held at various courses in Britain and Ireland and horses must finish in the top four in at least one of them to have a chance of a place amongst the big field of the series final. Previously, horses qualified by finishing in the first six places in these races but this was changed from the 2022/23 jumps season. The top four horses from the latest qualifiers can be found here.
Never Easy To Unravel
You might think that the presence of such a structured route to the Pertemps Final Hurdle would mean that predicting the winner is relatively easy. That is not the case. Horses who go off at odds of 20/1 or longer regularly claim places whilst winners at double figures are commonplace and winning favourites rare.
When picking through the form to try and pull out a potential winner the qualifying places do seem to be the most obvious place to start. Punters will certainly get some important insights from those but it is well worth noting that only a small percentage of recent winners actually won the race that got them a place at Cheltenham.
Punters who want specific races to cast an eye over should look at October’s Cheltenham Qualifier and the Heroes Handicap run at Sandown in February even though it is not one of the qualifiers.
There are some important trends to consider for the Pertemps Final though. The race is open to horses aged five and older but Delta Work in 2018 became only the second five-year-old to win since the race was introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 1974. The key spell in terms of age is between six and nine so punters must have very good reasons for backing any horse who falls outside of this range.
The other range to carefully consider concerns the weights. Horses with an official rating of over 150 find it very difficult to make their class show with the amount of weight that they are forced to carry. Backing a horse carrying less than 11st is ideal but the unpredictable nature of the Pertemps Final Hurdle is reflected in the fact that even the top weighted horse has won previously. The latest to do so was Sire Du Berlais who won his second successive Pertemps Final in 2020 saddling 11st 12lbs.
This weigh carried by Sire Du Berlais was in fact the joint heaviest by any winning horse in the history of the race alongside Fingal Bay in 2014, 1lb more than the next highest weighted winner, Presenting Percy, who carried a hefty 11st 11lbs to victory in 2017. The lightest runners to win the race were Rogers Princess in 1989 and Creon in 2004, both of whom were carrying 10st 0lbs.
Pertemps Final Series Qualifiers Results (2024/25)
Below we have the top four finishers in each the Pertemps Final Qualifiers during the 2024/25 season. Fourteen are from the UK and three are from Ireland.
Cheltenham, 14:55, Saturday 26th October 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | The Wallpark | 9/2 | 11st 7lbs | Gordon Elliott | Jordan Gainford |
| 2nd | Gowel Road | 7/1 | 11st 3lbs | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 3rd | Zain Nights | 9/2 | 10st 6lbs | Lucy Wadham | Tom Cannon |
| 4th | Hardy Boy | 22/1 | 10st 2lbs | Ben Pauling | Ben Jones |
Newbury, 14:52, Thursday 7th November 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | American Sniper | 15/8 | 10st 4lbs | Jack Tudor | David Pipe |
| 2nd | Emitom | 5/2 | 11st 7lbs | Tom Cannon | Alan King |
| 3rd | Monmiral | 9/2 | 12st 0lbs | Paul Nicholls | Harry Cobden |
| 4th | Henry’s Friend | 11/4 | 11st 4lbs | Ben Pauling | Ben Jones |
Aintree, 13:30, Saturday 9th November 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Harbour Lake | 3/1 | 11st 0lbs | Alan King | Tom Cannon |
| 2nd | Guard The Moon | 6/4 | 10st 5lbs | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 3rd | Magical King | 5/1 | 10st 4lbs | Stuart Edmunds | Ciaran Gethings |
| 4th | Willaston | 9/1 | 10st 11lbs | Mark Walford | Jamie Hamilton |
Kempton, 14:15, Monday 11th November 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Pyramid Place | 9/2 | 11st 4lbs | Olly Murphy | Sean Bowen |
| 2nd | Stoner’s Choice | 14/1 | 11st 4lbs | Fergal O’Brien | Max Kendrick |
| 3rd | Jackpot d’Athou | 10/11 | 10st 6lbs | Paul Nicholls | Freddie Gingell |
| 4th | Dargiannini | 9/4 | 12st 0lbs | Harry Derham | Paul O’Brien |
Punchestown, 13:15, Sunday 24th November 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Franciscan Rock | 12/1 | 11st 5lbs | M F Morris | Gavin Brouder |
| 2nd | Karl Des Tourelles | 10/1 | 11st 7lbs | Philip Fenton | Brian Hayes |
| 3rd | Desertmore House | 8/1 | 11st 3lbs | Martin Brassil | Jack Kennedy |
| 4th | Slanagaibhgoleir | 12/1 | 10st 10lbs | Gordon Elliott | Sam EwingSam Ewing |
Market Rasen, 13:40, Wednesday 27th November 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Supreme Gift | 3/1 | 11st 10lbs | Henry Daly | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2nd | Harbour Lake | 2/1 | 11st 10lbs | Alan King | Tom Cannon |
| 3rd | What A Johnny | 7/2 | 10st 7lbs | Olly Murphy | Sean Bowen |
| 4th | Willaston | 14/1 | 11st 1lb | Mark Walford | Jamie Hamilton |
Sandown, 13:15, Saturday 7th December 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Henri The Second | 11/4 | 10st 11lbs | Paul Nicholls | Freddie Gingell |
| 2nd | Up For Parol | 12/1 | 10st 10lbs | Jamie Snowden | Tom Cannon |
| 3rd | Super Survivor | 6/1 | 10st 12lbs | Jamie Snowden | Gavin Sheehan |
| 4th | West To The Bridge | 5/1 | 11st 6lbs | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton |
Carlisle, 14:07, Sunday 15th December 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Shallow River | 10/1 | 11st 4lbs | Olly Murphy | Sean Bowen |
| 2nd | D Art D Art | 9/4 | 11st 8lbs | Thomas Cooper | Donagh Meyler |
| 3rd | Gwennie May Boy | 15/2 | 12st 0lbs | Dan Skelton | Charlie Todd |
| 4th | Gold In The Rivers | 10/1 | 11st 2lbs | David Pipe | Jack Tudor |
Wincanton, 15:13, Thursday 26th December 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Thomas Mor | 12/1 | 11st 5lbs | Philip Hobbs & Johnson White | Sean Houlihan |
| 2nd | Dartmoor Pirate | 7/2 | 10st 2lbs | Anthony Honeyball | Ben Godfrey |
| 3rd | Lord Accord | 9/1 | 10st 6lbs | Neil Mulholland | Richie McLernon |
| 4th | Long Draw | 11/4 | 10st 3lbs | Olly Murphy | Beau Morgan |
Leopardstown, 15:05, Saturday 28th December 2024
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Win Some Lose Some | 7/2 | 10st 8lbs | Padraig Roche | Mark Walsh |
| 2nd | Whatsavailable | 25/1 | 9st 12lbs | M F Morris | Gavin Brouder |
| 3rd | Feet Of A Dancer | 6/1 | 10st 13lbs | Paul Nolan | Sean O’Keeffe |
| 4th | Koori Star | 16/1 | 9st 13lbs | Peter Fahey | Jake Coen |
Warwick, 14:25, Saturday 11th January 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Abandoned | – | – | – | – |
| 2nd | Abandoned | – | – | – | – |
| 3rd | Abandoned | – | – | – | – |
| 4th | Abandoned | – | – | – | – |
Huntingdon, 14:30, Thursday 23rd January 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Super Survivor | 3/1 | 10st 10lbs | Jamie Snowden | Gavin Sheehan |
| 2nd | Shanagh Bob | 10/3 | 11st 0lbs | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 3rd | Malaita | 12/1 | 10st 2lbs | Mel Rowley | Charlie Hammond |
| 4th | Zain Nights | 5/1 | 10st 13lbs | Lucy Wadham | Tom Cannon |
Musselburgh, 15:00, Sunday 2nd February 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Pyffo | 8/1 | 11st 4lbs | Harry Derham | Paul O’Brien |
| 2nd | Bugise Seagull | 14/1 | 12st 0lbs | Charlie Longsdon | David Bass |
| 3rd | Red Risk | 20/1 | 11st 13lbs | Paul Nicholls | Harry Cobden |
| 4th | Idem | 18/1 | 11st 5lbs | Lucinda Russell | Patrick Wadge |
Exeter, 15:33, Sunday 9th February 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Catch Him Derry | 10/1 | 11st 2lbs | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton |
| 2nd | Hititi | 10/1 | 12st 0lbs | Robert Walford | Harry Kimber |
| 3rd | Jeriko Du Reponet | 10/3 | 11st 13lbs | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 4th | Lossiemouth | 22/1 | 11st 13lbs | Polly Gundry | Stan Sheppard |
Haydock, 12:55, Saturday 15th February 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | One Big Bang | 11/2 | 10st 12lbs | James Owen | Jamie Brace |
| 2nd | Doddiethegreat | 28/1 | 11st 3lbs | Nicky Henderson | Brian Hughes |
| 3rd | Chasingouttheblues | 15/2 | 10st 9lbs | Mark Walford | Jamie Hamilton |
| 4th | Jipcot | 7/2 | 11st 8lbs | Jonjo & A J O’Neill | Kielan Woods |
Chepstow, 14:32, Saturday 22nd February 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | J’Ai Froid | 33/1 | 10st 12lbs | L J Morgan | Harry Reed |
| 2nd | Rickety Bridge | 10/1 | 9st 13lbs | Paul Nicholls | Freddie Gingell |
| 3rd | Firestream | 6/1 | 10st 12lbs | Anthony Honeyball | Ben Godfrey |
| 4th | Classic Concorde | 25/1 | 10st 8lbs | David Brace | Connor Brace |
Naas, 15:50, Sunday 23rd February 2025
| Pos. | Horse | Odds | Weight | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Will The Wise | 11/4 | 10st 9lbs | Gavin Cromwell | Conor Stone-Walsh |
| 2nd | Maxi Mac Gold | 25/1 | 11st 1lb | Paul Nolan | Sean Flanagan |
| 3rd | Lucky Lyreen | 14/1 | 11st 2lbs | Gordon Elliott | Finn Brickley |
| 4th | Patter Merchant | 7/1 | 11st 3lbs | Gordon Elliott | James Smith |