14:40 Cheltenham Tips: Pertemps Network Final is a tough race to handicap

Arguably the toughest of the Cheltenham Festival handicaps to assess, the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle has drawn a full field of 24 runners and once more looks stacked with interesting contenders. 

They tackle three miles in this day three contest and Enda takes us through his Runners Guide along with those all-important Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Tips...

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Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Tips & Runners Guide

Thomas Mor (Philip Hobbs & Johnson White/Sean Houlihan) 40/1 

Joined this stable from David Pipe and defied a 650-day absence to win at Wincanton on Boxing Day, booking his place in this. Had a spin over fences since. He ran well in the Albert Bartlett at this meeting in 2023. 

Karl Des Tourelles (Philip Fenton/Brian Hayes) 18/1 

Good second at Punchestown in November in a qualifier for this contest and fair effort again over Christmas at Limerick. Unexposed at this trip. 

Bugise Seagull (Charlie Longsdon/David Bass) 25/1 

He showed some very smart form as a novice over timber last season and arrives here after placed efforts at Doncaster and Musselburgh since upped to 3m. He could have more to offer. 

Win Some Lose Some (Padraig Roche/Mark Walsh) 13/2 

Four wins from his last seven starts over timber, most recently when justifying favouritism in the Leopardstown qualifier for this at Christmas. He's 13lb higher in the ratings now. 

Harbour Lake (Alan King/Tom Cannon) 18/1 

Decisively won an Aintree qualifier for this on seasonal reappearance in November and then finished second at Market Rasen the same month. He goes well fresh and has been off since, while he has made the frame in both previous course starts (2m½f/3m). 

Supreme Gift (Henry Daly/Stan Sheppard) 40/1 

Latest success came at Market Rasen (2m7f) in November but has toiled since at Kempton and Leopardstown and relies on a pair of first-time blinkers perking him up. 

D Art D Art (Tom Cooper/Tiernan Power Roche) 11/1 

Has raised his game this season, winning over 2m4f at Punchestown in November and placed efforts since at Navan and Carlisle, his December second at the latter venue booking his ticket here. More demanded from increased mark. 

Feet Of A Dancer (Paul Nolan/Sean O'Keefe) 8/1 

Stable won this in 2021 and this likeable mare has run three sound races in Ireland this season, latest when third behind Win Some Lose Some at Christmas. Goes especially well off a short layoff like this. 

Lucky Lyreen (Gordon Elliott/Sam Ewing) 14/1 

Best run of the season so far when third behind Will The Wise in a qualifier for this at Naas last month and noted now from a 3lb higher mark. 

Jeriko Du Reponet (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) 9/2 

Finished third behind Catch Him Derry in an Exeter qualifier last month, his first time tackling this sort of trip and unaided by a mistake four out. Cheekpieces applied now and could be more to come from just 1lb higher for top stable. 

Patter Merchant (Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy) 12/1 

Caught the eye at Leopardstown during the Dublin Racing Festival last month when finishing fifth and has since run fourth in Naas qualifier behind Will The Wise. Jack Kennedy gets on board now and an improved showing is expected. 

Henri The Second (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) 20/1 

Scored in a qualifier for this at Sandown on testing ground in December and has since finished second back there last month from 1lb lower than this. Won't mind the better ground and may have more to give at this trip. Trainer/jockey won this a year ago. 

Will The Wise (Gavin Cromwell/Keith Donoghue) 11/2 

Punchestown maiden winner in January and improved on handicap bow to win a Naas qualifier for this last month. He's 11lb higher now but is clearly progressive and from a respected Irish source. 

One Big Bang (James Owen/Jamie Brace) 16/1 

In and out season. He ran well here on New Year's Day but was poor at Ffos Las soon after. Won a decent Haydock qualifier for this since and needs to do more from this 7lb higher mark. 

Super Survivor (Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan) 22/1 

No match for Henri The Second at Sandown in December but 2-2 since at Doncaster and Huntingdon, beating Shanagh Bob latest. Should continue to go well. 

J'ai Froid (Laura Morgan/Harry Reed) 40/1 

Defied a 315-day absence to win in gutsy fashion at Chepstow last month in a qualifier for this, but the 12-year-old has more on his plate from a 5lb higher perch. 

Maxi Mac Gold (Paul Nolan/Sean Flanagan) 25/1 

Another that ran behind Will The Wise at Naas, finishing second. That was a solid effort but he's been raised 7lb for it and has more to find accordingly. 

Shanagh Bob (Nicky Henderson/Paul O'Brien) 16/1 

Grade 2-winning novice here last season before missing this Festival. Things haven't gone to plan this season chasing but he was second behind Super Survivor at Huntingdon in a January qualifier and is only 2lb higher here, having run well over shorter since at Warwick in defeat. 

Doddiethegreat (Nicky Henderson/Brian Hughes) 22/1 

Another Nicky Henderson contender, he finished second behind One Big Bang in a decent Haydock qualifier for this last time but will have to prove his appetite for the battle in this line-up. 

Catch Him Derry (Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton) 14/1 

Scored at Exeter early last month in a qualifier for this, his second win of the season. Mixed signals in between times, but no shock to see him going well despite a career-high mark. 

Guard The Moon (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies) 40/1 

Chased home Harbour Lake at Aintree in November to seal a ticket and second again at Newbury soon after. Has to leave last month's disappointing run at Chepstow well behind now, however. 

Zain Nights (Lucy Wadham/Charlie Deutsch) 25/1 

Made the frame over C&D in October behind rapidly progressive The Wallpark (goes for the Stayers' today) and a fair fourth on latest start behind Super Survivor at Huntingdon in January. Boasts a win over track and trip last season and is an interesting contender now. 

Idem (Lucinda Russell/Patrick Wadge) 50/1 

Trainer/jockey combo landed the Ultima on day one, he has shown some quirks but comes here after finishing fourth at Musselburgh in a decent qualifier last month and can run off an unchanged mark. 

American Sniper (David Pipe/Jack Tudor) 40/1 

Game winner at Newbury in November and fairly consistent since, bar a blip at Wetherby four weeks ago. He will have to leave that in the rear view mirror if he's going to take these rivals out. 

Verdict 

Henri The Second @ 20/1 & Zain Nights @ 25/1 

Feet Of A Dancer makes the most appeal of those towards the head of the market, while Shanagh Bob is last off the shortlist. 

Paul Nicholls won this a year ago with Monmiral and HENRI THE SECOND could be a real player for him. The impressive December Sandown winner was only denied by a progressive front-runner back there last month and the handicapper has nudged him up just 1lb, while he's versatile in regards to conditions. 

ZAIN NIGHTS is down near the foot of the weights and Lucy Wadham's six-year-old has given more than one hint this season he could be capable in a field such as this, with his October C&D third a particularly appealing snippet of form. He's 2lb lower in the ratings now and a big effort is forecast with drying ground favourable for this former C&D winner.