Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Final Tips – Cheltenham Festival Day Three, 14:10

The Pertemps Final is open to horses aged five or older. It is also run on the new course over a distance of three miles. There are twelve flights of hurdles to be jumped in what is the longest of the three handicap hurdles at the meeting.

Six of the last seven winners of the race have all been Irish trained and every one of those winners wore a tongue tie. The only horse wearing a tongue tie last year was only beaten a neck by the winner in Third Wind, so it appears to be a massive help.

Five of the recent Irish winners used the Leopardstown qualifier run over the Christmas period as a stepping stone prior to coming here. Many of the runners use qualifiers to get into this final and a positive performance from them last time would obviously be key to doing well in this.

Selected Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Final Runners

Below are selected runners who hold entries for the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Final I shall provide some recent form notes to help point you in the right direction of identifying the winner.

Salvador Ziggy

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Aidan Kelly

Was fourth to Shoot First over this course and distance in a similar race back in October and now is burdened with top weight here. The yard has an excellent record in this race recently and Aidan Kelly can claim off his partner. The form of that last race is working out well with wins for Botox Has, Panic Attack and The Real Whacker. Has every right to make the frame.

Itchy Feet

Trainer: Olly Murphy
Jockey: Sean Bowen

Still looks well in on the best of his old form and he has been fairly consistent this year. He already has the beating of The Changing Man who is set to re-oppose but needs to reverse form with Wakool. This is his sort of trip these days but this course has not been too kind to him in recent years. Yet to win in four runs here, he may well struggle to get home once more.

Good Time Johnny

Trainer: Tony Martin
Jockey: Liam McKenna

Has been beaten a combined thirty-five lengths in his last two handicaps and is woefully out of form. Without a win in over a year, the handicapper shows no sign of relenting with him. Looks like he will struggle once more.

Wakool

Trainer: Nick Alexander
Jockey: Conor O’Farrell

Won a Grade Two hurdle last time out beating the re-opposing Itchy Feet. He will be attempting to defy a career-high mark here and this seven-year-old grey son of Motivator has no previous experience of this track. Could travel well for a long way before succumbing to his big weight.

Captain Morgs

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies

Has plenty of experience at this track including most recently when winning a class two handicap by seven lengths. The form of that last win here back in December is not really working out and that has to be a concern for his backers here today.

Coltor

Trainer: Roger Fell
Jockey: Kevin Brogan

Has his third run for Roger Fell since leaving Dermot Weld and has been slowly improving for his new handler. Has the beating of Wakool on their most recent meeting at Musselburgh and no surprise to see him confirm that form. In good form and could well sneak a place.

Green Book

Trainer: Venetia Williams
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch

Operates much better on flatter tracks as wins at Sandown, Haydock and Ludlow all prove. Was a lacklustre fifth of six when beaten over twenty lengths by Wakool in a Grade Two last time out. Looks way of his depth.

An Tailliur

Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill
Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill JR

Has been off the track for almost five months but ran a fair race behind Shoot First in a similar event over the course and distance back in October. He certainly knows how to win races having won seven of his fifteen starts over hurdles. Always goes well after a break and looks to be in with a great chance despite a career-high mark.

Mill Green

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Daryl Jacob

Has to be respected given that he was a gallant third to Third Wind in this same race last season and gets in here off the exact same mark. This race has clearly been the target all season and Nicky Henderson has done well to keep him ticking over. Has obvious claims and is another worthy of respect.

Thanksforthehelp

Trainer: David Pipe
Jockey: Mark Walsh

Showed much-improved form when absolutely hacking up at Chepstow in a qualifier for this race. He saw off the attentions of My Bobby Dazzler with the minimum of fuss under Kevin Brogan. That run came after a bout of wind surgery which was clearly needed. With a much-needed and confidence-boosting win further improvement could not be ruled out as the further they went the better he looked. An eleven-pound rise in the ratings may not be enough to stop this David Pipe runner.

Maxxum

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Davy Russell

Won the Leopardstown qualifier at Christmas in order to participate here and was then injured himself a little when not giving his true running behind Perceval Legallois again over the same course and distance last month. If fully recovered he has to be high on any shortlist given his trainers’ enviable record in this race. He has improved hand over fist since joining his new yard from that of Eugene O’Sullivan and no surprise to see him bounce right back here.

The Bosses Oscar

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Ben Harvey

He has to come into this as one of the better-handicapped horses in the race. He was a fine second in this race a couple of seasons ago off a nine-pound higher mark. He has been lightly raced since and it has to be remembered that he pulled up in the County Hurdle last season having done so in his two previous races as well. He seems to be edging back to good form and ran a big race at a ridiculous price at Musselburgh just last month. He is still only an eight-year-old and he can make the frame.

Walking On Air

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Nico De Boinville

Looks to be a little too inexperienced for a race of this nature despite winning the Exeter qualifier for this race. Sabrina is a good mare, but she is not top class and he only beat her by just over three lengths. Exeter is also a very flat track and his two previous two runs came at Doncaster and Aintree which are also quite level. The undulations of this track could find him out and he would not be the most confident of selections.

Hector Javilex

Trainer: Charlie Longsdon
Jockey: Lily Pinchin

Has to come into the equation because he won a handicap over this course and distance on New Year’s Day beating Jet Of Magic and Abuffalosoldier. He was beaten off this mark next time out in what was a qualifier for this that was run at Huntingdon. If his yard were in better form, he would have a much more realistic chance. He is hard to recommend based on that though.

Ante-post Prices

5/1 Thanksforthehelp , 6/1 Maxxum , 13/2 Walking On Air , 10/1 The Bosses Oscar , 10/1 Good Time Jonny , 10/1 Captain Morgs , 10/1 Salvador Ziggy , 14/1 An Tailliur , 14/1 Hector Javilex , 16/1 Itchy Feet , 20/1 Mill Green , 20/1 Green Book , 20/1 Coltor , 20/1 Bear Ghylls , 20/1 Glimpse Of Gala , 25/1 Wakool , 25/1 Jet Of Magic , 25/1 Level Neverending , 25/1 The Changing Man , 50/1 Burrows Park , 50/1 Takarengo , 50/1 Brandy Mcqueen , 50/1 Moka De Vassy , 66/1 Risk And Roll

Pertemps Network Hurdle Handicap Final Key Trends

Gordon Elliott boasts a fantastic recent record having won three of the last five renewals.

Nine of the past eleven winners had run ten times or less over hurdles.

Eight of the last nine winners were 14/1 or shorter in the market.

Pertemps Network Hurdle Handicap Final Summary

This is as open and competitive as it gets at Cheltenham but if he can be encouraged back to anywhere near his best form, The Bosses Oscar would look to have a compelling chance. He has been given a chance by the handicapper and is relatively lightly raced for an eight-year-old. If the ground stays soft he will likely put together a fairly big run and can give Gordon Elliott another victory in this race.

Selection: The Bosses Oscar e/w @ 11/1 with Unibet

All odds are accurate at the time of writing.

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