The Pertemps Handicap Hurdle is seen as one of the toughest puzzles to decipher at the Cheltenham Festival.Daryl Carter has previewed this competitive event alongside an exclusive Virgin Bet offer that provides new customers with £20 in free bets.
PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE (Cheltenham 2:10pm, Thursday, March 17)
There are only two qualifying heats left at the time of writing, and all eyes will be on those Irish runners to see which late bloomers will be added to the market.
Key Trends
Nine of the last 12 winners have been aged between six and eight.
Two favourites have won from the last 12.
Twelve of the last 12 had at least six previous runs over hurdles.
Seven of the last 12 had run at Cheltenham previously.
Ten of the last 12 were rated 138 or higher.
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Leading Contenders
DUNBOYNE
Dunboyne has been a long-term favourite for this contest and has caught the eye on a couple of occasions in Ireland when tenderly handled in big field handicaps. He has been given an English rating of 134 and again caught the eye at the Dublin Racing Festival when travelling strongly before a mistake at two out cost him any chance, and he was then snatched up on the run to the final flight. He is interesting given we haven’t seen him at full swing in a finish, but he jumped the last tired that day, and he may not be the good thing many people hope he is.
SPORTING JOHN
Sporting John is a class act, but he will need to buck the qualifier/final winner trend after excellently scoring at Warwick, albeit in a race where many were hoping for places. He is rated 151, which could prove high enough for this deep contest on the balance of his form this season. Still, he is highly progressive and relatively unexposed over hurdles and wouldn’t look out of place in the Stayers Hurdle. He is well found in the market, but when he is on his game, he is electric. He will be in the thick of things.
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ALAPHILIPPE
Alaphilippe showed enough on return at Warwick behind Sporting John to think there is more to come from him, and the handicapper has dropped him two pounds to a mark of 138 for that effort. He was trounced in the Albert Bartlett last season in a field below par on the average year (140-145 would have won it), so he needs to improve. Still, he caught the eye running well and is open to vast improvement after just three starts over this 3m trip. He could be a big player but looks a likely drifter in the market, with those with sexier profiles likely to see some backing.
ARDHILL
Ardhill is not yet qualified or rated high enough to get into the race.
MR FRED ROGERS
Mr Fred Rogers is not yet qualified, and I am waiting eagerly to see if he gets an entry in the final two qualifiers. That is looking unlikely, given he is due to run on Thursday in the Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle, but make no mistake about it, if plans change, he is the one I want!
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SIRE DU BERLAIS
Sire Du Berlais has been coming along nicely this term and wasn’t under the full pump when behind Sporting John at Warwick to qualify. How he has won this race in 2020 and 2019 suggests this mark of 155 wouldn’t be beyond him. He is a classy sort, and despite being another year older, he would have to be a big player should connections come here rather than the Stayer’s Hurdle (which he was third in last season).
BORN PATRIOT
Born Patriot is a horse that keeps popping up on my radar, similar to that of the owner mate Belfast Banter last term (won). He has been sticking on well in races and was a huge eye-catcher at Cheltenham in the qualifier behind Kansas City Chief before putting in a bit of a no-show at Sandown, but that track wouldn’t have ideally suited. This will be his target, and he sits on a workable mark of 135, and it would be no surprise to see him play a hand.
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Verdict
This race looks daunting with the unknowns about a few runners but take out those that aren’t qualified and those that have little chance of winning, and the picture becomes clearer. Mr Fred Rogers would hack up in this, in my opinion, but without knowing if he will run in a qualifier in the next two weeks makes it hard to back in without NRNB – with, do it! Still, of those that have the confirmation at this stage, I would give a chance to SIRE DU BERLAIS, who arguably has an easier task than previous years despite the higher mark.
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