Pertemps Network Final Odds: 26 runners set to go to post in Thursday’s handicap hurdle

The second race on Thursday is the competitive Pertemps Network Final, a handicap run over three miles. In recent seasons the race has been dominated by Irish-trained winners, with Hughie Morrison the only handler to buck that trend since 2016.

We’ve taken a look at the Pertemps Network Final odds, and if you’re betting with Betfred, we’re offering SIX places instead of four in the race.

The Favourites

Three horses dominate the head of the betting. At the time of writing, the Gordon Elliott trained six-year-old Cleatus Poolaw shades favouritism at 6/1, qualifying for the race thanks to a second place at Naas last time out in February. He’s been bumped up four pounds off the back of that performance and will race off 139.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has a lively chance here in the shape of 8/1 chance Cuthbert Dibble, who won his qualifier in February at Haydock. The six-year-old is two from two this season, having scored at Chepstow in January and has been raised a stone this season.

 At 9/1 is Gaoth Chuil for trainer Ted Walsh. The six-year-old secured his place in the race thanks to winning his qualifier at Leopardstown over Christmas and has since landed a Listed contest at the same track. Rated 136, he has a few pounds in hand over his market rivals.

Next Best

Nicky Henderson’s horses still don’t seem to firing so far this week, but that hasn’t stopped Chantry House from being a 10/1 shot for Thursday’s race. The 10-year-old was third in a Supreme in a former life and won the Grade 1 Marsh Novices’ Chase over two and a half miles at the Festival in 2021.

He’s lost his way in the last couple of seasons though and comes here off the back of finishing fourth in a qualifier at Huntingdon last time out. The former 162-rated chaser runs off a hurdles mark of 143 on Thursday. 

Also at 10/1 with Betfred is Gabbys Cross for Henry de Bromhead. The nine-year-old is two from nine over hurdles and finished second in a Punchestown qualifier in November to seal his place for Thursday’s contest.

The Willie Mullins-trained Icare Allen is also firmly in the mix at 10/1. 17th in the Coral Cup and fourth in a Triumph, the nine-year-old has raced just once since September, and that was when qualifying in third for Thursday’s race at an Aintree contest in November. He’ll be fresh.

Le Milos is an interesting runner for Dan Skelton. At his best, he’s been a 142-rated hurdler and only had to finish third, beaten 16 and a half lengths, to qualify for the Pertemps from a field of five. He had a freshener at Ascot in February, and the Skeltons know how to win a big handicap hurdle at the Festival. He’s 12/1.

12/1 chance White Rhino scrapes in at the bottom of the weights. Trained by Oli Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the eight-year-old has won five of his 11 starts and hasn’t finished outside the first three in eight of his races. This is a noticeable step up in class, but he’s gone up two-and-half stone in the ratings in the last 12 months; such is his improvement.

From bottom weight to number two on the racecard, Springwell Bay is available to back at 16/1. Jonjo O’Neill saddles the seven-year-old, who has a 50% strike rate over hurdles and has won four of his eight starts. He has some course form, winning over two miles and five furlongs in the autumn here and qualifying by finishing second in the Musselburgh qualifier last time. 

Each-way Squeaks

The top weight is nine-year-old Farouk D’Alene, trained by Gordon Elliott. The 16/1 chance fell here last season in the Brown Advisory and reverts to hurdles following a fall and a poor effort on his first two starts this season. He qualified at Leopardstown in December and looks to have it all to do off top weight. 

Nicky Henderson’s second string here is Hyland at odds of 18/1. He won the Pertemps qualifier here in October where he was raised six pounds.

There are a host of runners priced at around 20/1 with Betfred.

Henry de Bromhead saddles Popova, who won a mares hurdle at Listowel in September and qualified courtesy of a fourth-place finish at Punchestown in November. Charlie Longsdon's entry is Hector Javilex. The seven-year-old has three wins from nine hurdle appearances and finished well down the field in this race last year.

Meanwhile, Kyntara carries a light weight for Mel Rowley but will race off a career-high mark of 131. Noble Birth from Ireland is another towards the bottom of the weights here, courtesy of winning a qualifier at Naas on his last start.

Bar

22/1 Gowel Road

22/1 Emitom

25/1 Mill Green

25/1 Monmiral

25/1 Alpesh Amin

33/1 Anna Bunina

33/1 Prairie Dancer

33/1 Judicial Law

40/1 Flight Deck

40/1 Bold Endeavour

66/1 J’Ai Froid

Find more Cheltenham tips here at  Betfred Insights.