PERTEMPS FINAL

The Pertemps Final is the Festival's only staying handicap hurdle and there is invariably a large field for this stamina test.

It is run over the same course and distance as the Stayers' Hurdle later in the day and frequently features a thrilling finish.

Grade 3 | 5yo+ | Thursday 14.10
3 miles | 12 hurdles | New course
Weight: 10st - 11st 12lb (handicap)
Prize money (2023): £98,370 | 1st: £56,270

Established in 1974, the race was originally called the Coral Golden Hurdle Final. It had various sponsors since, with Pertemps supporting the race from 2002.

To secure a berth in the Final, a horse must finish in the first four in one of 20 Pertemps Series qualification races run during the season at various courses.

Dual Pertemps winner Sire Du Berlais (2019/20) went on the win the Stayers' Hurdle in 2023.

Other recent winners, Presenting Percy (2017) and Delta Work (2018), have subsequently enjoyed Grade 1 success over fences.

PERTEMPS FINAL TRENDS

7 of the last 8 winners were Irish trained
7 of the last 8 winners wore a tongue-tie
6 of the last 8 winners ran in the Leopardstown qualifier at Xmas
2 of the last 10 winners were top weight
9 of the last 10 winners returned at 14/1 or shorter
3 of the last 24 favourites won
Updated to include 2023 renewal

Gordon Elliott not only trained the winner of the Pertemps Final three years in a row from 2018-20, but the first and second in 2018 and 2020.

Fingal Bay (2014) & Sire Du Berlais (2020) both carried top weight to victory, while Presenting Percy was just 1lb off (2017).

Festival perennial Buena Vista won in 2010 and 2011, having finished second in 2009, while Sire Du Berlais was also a dual winner.

Good Time Jonny, Mrs Milner, Sire Du Berlais, Presenting Percy and Mall Dini are recent Pertemps Final winners who all qualified via the Leopardstown qualifier in December.

LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA

YEAR
AGE
OFFICIAL RATING
WEIGHT
2023
8
142
11-4
2022
8
141
10-11
2021
6
134
10-9
2020
8
152
11-12
2019
7
145
11-9

RECENT WINNERS

YEAR
WINNER
JOCKEY / TRAINER
SP
2024
-
/
/
2023
Good Time Jonny
Liam McKenna / Tony Martin
9/1
2022
Third Wind
Tom O'Brien / Hughie Morrison
25/1
2021
Mrs Milner
Bryan Cooper / Paul Nolan
12/1
2020
Sire Du Berlais
Barry Geraghty / Gordon Elliott
10/1
2019
Sire Du Berlais
Barry Geraghty / Gordon Elliott
4/1f
2018
Delta Work
Davy Russell / Gordon Elliott
6/1
2017
Presenting Percy
Davy Russell / Patrick G Kelly
11/1
2016
Mall Dini
Davy Russell / Patrick G Kelly
14/1
2015
Call The Cops
Andrew Tinkler / Nicky Henderson
9/1
2014
Fingal Bay
Richard Johnson / Philip Hobbs
9/2f
2013
Holywell
Richie McLernon / Jonjo O'Neill
25/1
2012
Cape Tribulation
Denis O'Regan / Malcolm Jefferson
14/1
2011
Buena Vista
Conor O'Farrell / David Pipe
20/1
2010
Buena Vista
Hadden Frost / David Pipe
16/1
2009
Kayf Aramis
Aidan Coleman / Venetia Williams
16/1
2008
Ballyfitz
Paddy Brennan / Nigel Twiston-Davies
18/1
2007
Oscar Park
Tom Doyle / David Arbuthnot
14/1
2006
Kadoun
Tom Ryan / Michael O'Brien
50/1
2005
Oulart
Paul Carberry / Dessie Hughes
10/1
2004
Creon
Timmy Murphy / Jonjo O'Neill
50/1
2003
Inching Closer
Barry Geraghty / Jonjo O'Neill
6/1f
2002
Freetown
Tony Dobbin / Len Lungo
20/1
2001

Festival Cancelled

2000
Rubhahunish
Carl Llewellyn / Nigel Twiston-Davies
8/1
Scoll down for previous Pertemps Final winners

Good Time Jonny came from last turning for home to win the 2023 Pertemps Final and give trainer Tony Martin his seventh Festival winner, but a first since 2015.

It was a first win at the Festival for claiming jockey Liam McKenna, who showed great patience to sit and wait before picking his way through traffic on the run in:

‘I HAD A WILLING PARTNER FROM TURNING IN AND THE LONG RUN REALLY SUITED HIM’

Third Wind, fourth in 2020 off the same mark, edged the Pertemps Final in 2022 despite a stewards inquiry, called as the first two came close together in the closing stages.

The result was allowed to stand for jockey Tom O'Brien and trainer Hughie Morrison, who was made to wait before celebrating his second Cheltenham Festival winner:

‘TOM RODE A SPECTACULAR RACE. WE TOLD HIM TO JUMP POSITIVELY BECAUSE IF YOU JUMP OFF AT THE BACK, HE’LL END UP RIGHT AT THE BACK’

The 2021 Pertemps winner was Mrs Milner, ridden by Bryan Cooper:

Sire Du Berlais recorded back-to-back victories in 2020 and three Pertemps Final wins in a row for trainer Gordon Elliott.

Off a 7lb higher mark than the previous year and wearing first-time blinkers, he just held off stable companion The Storyteller:

Barry Geraghty had given him a superb ride in 2019, to win by a neck despite having been backed at over 200/1 in-running:

After a titanic tussle, Delta Work beat his stablemate Glenloe by a nose in 2018 - another 1-2 for Gordon Elliott:

Presenting Percy 2017

Mall Dini 2016

Call The Cops 2015

There was a thrilling renewal of the Pertemps Final in 2014, as Fingal Bay prevailed by a nose despite crashing through the final flight:

Holywell 2013

Buena Vista 2010

Back in 1998, Tony McCoy bolted up on Unsinkable Boxer after trainer Martin Pipe told him before the race:

‘THIS HORSE IS THE BIGGEST CERTAINTY THAT WILL EVER WALK OUT ONTO THIS RACECOURSE’

Taberna Lord 1987

Looking back further, the 1983 final was won by future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Forgive ‘n Forget:

Another of the earlier winners was a horse who became something of a Festival legend.

Winner of what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle in 1973, Willie Wumpkins later won this race three times on the trot, sealing the hat-trick in 1981 at the ripe old age of 13:

The dual Pertemps Final winner Buena Vista ran at 8 consecutive Cheltenham Festivals (2005-12).

PREVIOUS WINNERS

YEAR
WINNER
JOCKEY / TRAINER
SP
1999
Generosa
Norman Williamson / John Hassett
12/1
1998
Unsinkable Boxer
Tony McCoy / Martin Pipe
5/2f
1997
Pharanear
Robert Thornton / David Nicholson
14/1
1996
Great Easeby
Richard McGrath / Wilf Storey
7/1
1995
Miracle Man
Peter Hobbs / Colin Weedon
9/2f
1994
Tindari
Paul Williams / Malcolm Jefferson
20/1
1993
Fissure Seal
Charlie Swan / Harry de Bromhead
14/1
1992
My View
Jason Titley / Michael Purcell
33/1
1991
Danny Connors
Mark Dwyer / Jonjo O'Neill
9/1
1990
Henry Mann
Tony Mulholland / Simon Christian
20/1
1989
Rogers Princess
Shaun Keightley / Martin Tate
8/1jf
1988
Pragada
Richard Rowe / Josh Gifford
16/1
1987
Taberna Lord
Luke Harvey / Jim Wilson
10/1
1986
Motivator
Graham McCourt / Mick Ryan
15/2f
1985
Von Trappe
Richard Dunwoody / Michael Oliver
12/1
1984
Canio
John Francome / Ron Hodges
20/1
1983
Forgive 'n Forget
Mark Dwyer / Jimmy Fitzgerald
5/2f
1982
Tall Order
Andrew Stringer / Louis Foster
15/1
1981
Willie Wumpkins
Jim Wilson / Jane Pilkington
13/2
1980
Willie Wumpkins
Jim Wilson / Jane Pilkington
10/1
1979
Willie Wumpkins
Jim Wilson / Jane Pilkington
25/1
1978
Water Colour
Kevin Whyte / Martin Tate
11/1
1977
Outpoint
Pat O'Brien / Fred Winter
10/1
1976
Good Prospect
Richard Evans / John Edwards
10/1
1975
Saffron Cake
Eddie Wright / Les Kennard
13/1
1974
Kastrup
Graham Thorner / David Barons
10/1
All Pertemps Final winners prior to 2000