The Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final is one of the most difficult races to solve at the Cheltenham Festival. Traditionally a plot race, punters must navigate complex qualifying rules, hidden form, and shrewd trainer tactics to find the winner. Below, we break down the key trends, past winners, and best bets for this yearβs renewal.

π Key Trends & Winning Profile
β
Recent Form Matters: π
No winner this century had their final prep run at Cheltenham.
β
Experience Level: π Only 3 of the last 13 winners had more than 10 hurdle runs.
β
Qualifiers Are Key: π 7 of the last 8 Irish-trained winners ran in the Leopardstown Qualifier.
β
Winning Before This Race? β Only 2 of the last 26 had actually won a Qualifier.
β
Weight & Ratings: π 12 of the last 14 were rated 138+, but not in the 150s unless a previous winner.
β
JP McManus Effect: π© He loves to lay one out for this race.
β
Tongue Tie Factor: π
8 of the last 9 winners wore a tongue tie.
β
Favouritesβ Struggles: π¬ No beaten favourite last time has won this century.
β
Lay the Blinkers? β οΈ Blinkered horses struggle unless previously Festival-placed.
β
Conditional Jockeys? π Only 1 conditional winner since 2011.
β
Winning Distance: π Stayers do well, but only 8 of the last 12 had 3m form before.
π Recent Winners & Trends Analysis
π
2025: TBD
π
2024: Monmiral (7yo, BHA 138, 25/1, P Nicholls) β 4th in Chepstow 3m Qualifier (19 days prior)
π
2023: Good Time Jonny (8yo, BHA 142, 9/1, A J Martin) β 12th in Leopardstown Qualifier (39 days prior)
π
2022: Third Wind (8yo, BHA 141, 25/1, H Morrison) β 3rd in Haydock G2 (26 days prior)
π
2021: Mrs Milner (6yo, BHA 134, 12/1, P Nolan) β Fell in Leopardstown Qualifier (39 days prior)
π
2020: Sire du Berlais (8yo, BHA 152, 10/1, G Elliott) β 4th in Warwick Qualifier (61 days prior)
π
2019: Sire du Berlais (7yo, BHA 145, 4/1F, G Elliott) β 6th in Leopardstown Qualifier (76 days prior)
π Key Trends:
β
Leopardstown Qualifier form is key β 7 of the last 8 Irish-trained winners ran there.
β
Trainer patterns: Gordon Elliott (3 wins) and Tony Martin (1 win) are big plotters.
β
Paul Nicholls broke his duck in 2024 β Could Monmiral win back-to-back?
β
British horses have struggled recently β Only 2 winners from GB in the last 9 years.
β
No horse in the last 6 years has won after being off for more than 80 days.
β
Horses rated under 138 are unlikely to win, but could place.
π― Expert Verdict: Who to Bet On?
β
Look for horses aged 6-8 with experience but not too exposed.
β
Check those placed in the Leopardstown Qualifier β Irish-trained runners often dominate.
β
Trainers like Gordon Elliott & Tony Martin love plotting a winner.
β
Tongue ties are a big angle β 8 of the last 9 winners wore one.
β
Avoid last-time-out beaten favourites.
β
Winning a Qualifier isnβt a positive unless it was within 35 days.
π Best Bets for Pertemps Handicap Hurdle 2025 β Top Selections
π Horse | π Odds | π― Trainer | π₯ Age | π OR | β RPR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Wallpark | 7/1 | Gordon Elliott | 7 | β | 152 |
Jeriko Du Reponet | 7/1 | Nicky Henderson | 6 | 135 | 136 |
Win Some Lose Some | 8/1 | Padraig Roche | 6 | β | 133 |
Gwennie May Boy | 12/1 | Dan Skelton | 7 | β | 149 |
Henri The Second | 14/1 | Paul Nicholls | 8 | 134 | 140 |
Feet Of A Dancer | 14/1 | Paul Nolan | 6 | β | 133 |
Catch Him Derry | 16/1 | Dan Skelton | 7 | 129 | 127 |
Maximilian | 16/1 | Donald McCain | 9 | 142 | β |
π₯ The Wallpark (Gordon Elliott) β Ticks all the major trends and looks like a well-plotted Irish runner.
πͺ Jeriko Du Reponet (Nicky Henderson) β Has strong form and a good rating, but lacks an Irish qualifier run.
π Win Some Lose Some (Padraig Roche) β Ran well in Leopardstown, which is always a key stat.
β‘ Gwennie May Boy (Dan Skelton) β Looks progressive, but might be too exposed at 149.
π Henri The Second (Paul Nicholls) β Good form, but not many 8-year-olds win this.
π§ Feet Of A Dancer (Paul Nolan) β Irish-trained and should stay well.
π© Get Free Cheltenham Festival Tips & Predictions
At PuntHub, we provide free expert Cheltenham tips daily via our open proofing service. Stay ahead of the market and get the best Pertemps Handicap Hurdle betting insights before the big day!