One of the big Cheltenham Festival handicaps at the meeting is the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, run on day three of the meeting. It’s always an ultra-competitive heat so one way to help narrow down the field is by using the Pertemps Hurdle trends and stats.
We’ve listed all the key Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle trends below – but there are 89% TWO standout stats you simply can’t ignore.
Plus, see Andy Newton’s best Cheltenham bets and hot STATS for day 3 here.
89% Of The Last NINE Pertemps Hurdle Winners Wore Headgear or a Tongue-Tie
From the 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival each year, the Pertemps Hurdle Network has always been one of the hardest to find the winner – it’s not surprising with a maximum of 24 runners heading to post.
However, if recent years results are anything to go by – there might be an easy way to navigate your way to finding the first-past-the-post in the Pertemps.
Step forward TWO stats that have been ticked in EIGHT of the last NINE runnings.
Just find the runners that are…….
- 1. Sporting a tongue-tie
- 2. Wearing any form of headgear
Over the last nine runnings only Third Wind in 2022 DIDN’T wear any headgear or tongue-tie, but that year – the neck runner-up Alaphilippe did.
This cracking Pertemps Hurdle trend popped up again 12 months ago when Paul Nicholls had the brainwave of plonking the first-time blinkers on Monmiral.
Oh, who was also sporting a tongue-tie, so a double whammy.
While in 2023, the winner Good Time Jonny was one of just four horses to wear a tongue-time that year – winning with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK at 9/1.
Recent Pertemps Hurdle Winners and Their Headgear
- 2024 – Monmiral (25/1): Tongue-tie and blinkers
- 2023 – Good Time Jonny (9/1): Tongue-tie
- 2022 – Third Wind (25/1): No headgear of tongue-tie
- 2021 – Mrs Milner (12/1): Tongue-tie
- 2020 – Sire Du Berlais (10/1): Tongue-tie and blinkers
- 2019 – Sire Du Berlais (4/1 fav): Tongue-tie and cheekpieces
- 2018 – Delta Work (6/1): Tongue-tie and hood
- 2017 – Presenting Percy (11/1): Tongue-tie
- 2016 – Mall Dini (14/1): Tongue-tie
How Will I Know If A Horse Has A Tongue-tie Or Headgear?
Once the final Pertemps Final Network Final Handicap Hurdle runners are out you then just need to look to see if connections are running them in any headgear.
To find a horse wearing a tongue-tie, there will be a ‘lowercase’ ‘t’ next to their name.
While if a horse is wearing any form of headgear – this will also be shown with another ‘lowercase’ letter next to their name.
Blinkers will show as ‘b’, a visor with a ‘v’, a hood ‘h’ and cheekpieces with ‘p’.
2025 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Runners With Headgear and/or Tongue-tie
- Supreme Gift (blinkers, 1st)
- Jeriko Du Reponet (cheekpieces, 1st)
- Super Survivor (cheekpieces)
- J’Ai Froid (visor)
- Maxi Mac Gold (tongue tie and blinkers)
- Shanagh Bob (cheekpieces)
- Doddiethegreat (tongue time (1st) and cheekpieces)
- Zain Nights (cheekpieces)
- American Sniper (tongue tie and blinkers)
Pertemps Network Final Hurdle 2025 Race Details
📅Date: Thursday 13th March 2025
⌚Time: 2:40pm
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
🔄Trip: 3m
💷Winning Purse: £61,897
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
The Pertemps Hurdle Trends Showcase Only Two Winning Favourites In The Last 19 Years
In addition to the key headgear Pertemps Hurdle trend – it could also pay to note that this race has only thrown up two winning Cheltenham favourites in the last 19 years.
Yes, since 2006 only Sire Du Berlais (4/1 fav) in 2019 and Fingal Bay (9/2 fav) in 2014 returned as jollies with the best betting sites in the UK.
Trainer Gordon Elliott Has Won Three Of The Last Seven Pertemps Hurdles
Despite Paul Nicholls flying the flag for the GB trainers last year – the Pertemps Hurdle has been a very good race for the Irish in recent years.
An Irish yard has landed the Cheltenham prize money in the Pertemps seven times in the last nine – with Gordon Elliott their top trainer with a trio of successes between 2018 and 2020.
That said, it’s still Jonjo O’Neill who leads the way in the Pertemps Hurdle with four wins – the first in 1991 with Danny Connors. Before adding Inching Closer (2003), Creon (2004) and Holywell (2013).
Oh, despite the good Irish record a certain Willie Mullins is YET to win the Pertemps.
Other Key Pertemps Hurdle Trends 2025
- Irish-trained horses have won the last 7 of last 9
- The last 13 winners aged 8 or younger
- 9 of the last 17 placed in their last race (5 won)
- 12 of the last 24 from outside the top 5 in the betting
- 13 of the last 14 rated 138 or higher
- 13 of the last 18 rated between 132-142 (inc)
- 12 of the last 14 rated between 138-148
- 12 of the last 20 won over at least 2m7f
- 8 of the last 11 priced 12/1 or shorter
- 8 of the last 24 won their last race
- 6 of the last 9 ran at Leopardstown last time out
- 3 of the last 16 placed in the top 5 in the Betfair Hurdle
- 9 of the last 13 had run 10 or less times over hurdles before
- 6 of the last 12 ran 7 or less times over hurdles
- Look for Jonjo O’Neill, Twiston-Davies and Pipe-trained runners
- Respect JP McManus-owned horses – won it in 2019 and 2020
- Gordon Elliott has won 3 of the last 7 runnings
- Look for horses with headgear (9 since 2000) and 8 of the last 9
- 8 of the last 9 winners wore a tongue-tie
- 7 of the last 9 winners Irish-trained
- 6 of the last 9 ran in the Leopardstown Qualifier (Christmas)
- Since 2000 only 1 winner didn’t have a run that calendar year
- 5 year-olds have won just twice since 1973
- Just 1 horse rated 150+ since 2000 has finished in the top 2
- Only 2 winning favourites in last 19 years runnings
- Just 1 winner in the last 42 years aged 10+
- Willie Mullins has never won this race
- Horses aged 7 or younger and priced in single-figures are just 3 from 54
