Last year’s winner Sire Du Berlais heads another maximum field in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
Ireland have dominated this 3m handicap in recent years and are strongly represented again with The Storyteller bidding to improve the records of trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Davy Russell having won over fences at The Festival in the past.
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Recent Winners
| ear | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2019 | Sire Du Berlais | 7 | B Geraghty | G Elliott |
| 2018 | Delta Work | 5 | D Russell | G Elliott |
| 2017 | Presenting Percy | 6 | D Russell | P Kelly |
| 2016 | Mall Dini | 6 | D Russell | P Kelly |
| 2015 | Call The Cops | 6 | A Tinkler | N Henderson |
| 2014 | Fingal Bay | 8 | R Johnson | P Hobbs |
| 2013 | Hollywell | 6 | R McLernon | J O’Neill |
| 2012 | Cape Tribulation | 8 | D O’Regan | M Jefferson |
| 2011 | Buena Vista | 10 | C O’Farrell | D Pipe |
| 2010 | Buena Vista | 9 | H Frost | D Pipe |
| 2009 | Kayf Aramis | 7 | A Coleman | V Williams |
| 2008 | Ballyfitz | 8 | P Brennan | N Twiston-Davies |
| 2007 | Oscar Park | 8 | T Doyle | D Arbuthnot |
| 2006 | Kadoun | 9 | T Ryan | M O’Brien |
| 2005 | Oulart | 6 | P Carberry | D Hughes |
| 2004 | Creon | 9 | T Murphy | J O’Neill |
| 2003 | Inching Closer | 6 | B Geraghty | J O’Neill |
| 2002 | Freetown | 6 | T Dobbin | L Lungo |
| 2001 | NO RACE | |||
| 2000 | Rubhahunish | 9 | C Llewellyn | N Twiston-Davies |
| 1999 | Generosa | 6 | N Williamson | J Hassett |
Pertemps Final Trends
- 100 per cent of the last nine winners were officially rated 138 or higher.
- Davy Russell has ridden three of the last four winners.
- Only two five-year-olds have won since the 1970s.
- No horse rated 150 or higher has finished in the first two in 20 years.
Horse Racing Betting at Betvictor
Pertemps Final Current Best Odds
The Storyteller 6/1
Relegate 13/2
Sire Du Berlais 7/1
Welsh Saint 10/1
Skandiburg 12/1
Kilbricken Storm, Third Wind, Jatiluwih and Tout Est Permis 16/1
A Great View and Stoney Mountain 20/1
Dream Berry, Rapper, Royal Thief and Burrows Park 25/1
Rocket Lad, Sunset Showdown and Unowhatimeanharry 33/1
Anytime Will Do, Dingo Dollar, Kansas City Chief and Guitar Pete 40/1
Fred The Foot and Copper Gone West 50/1
Mighty Thunder 66/1
Doubly Clever 100/1
(Odds correct at 12.30 GMT, March 11)
Table of Contents
- 1 Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Recent Winners
- 2 Pertemps Final Trends
- 3 Pertemps Final Current Best Odds
- 4 Russell hoping to make it four from five on Storyteller
- 5 Relegate hoping for promotion to the big time
- 6 Permis another Irish contender to consider
- 7 Berlais faces a stiff task to follow up last year’s success
- 8 Could Kilbricken go down a Storm?
Russell hoping to make it four from five on Storyteller
Davy Russell has ridden the winner of the Pertemps Final in three of the last four years.
This year’s mount, The Storyteller, won over fences at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago.
He’s only 2lb higher in the handicap despite having made a successful return to hurdles this season. A recent run at Leopardstown will have put him spot-on for this so it’s easy to understand why Gordon Elliott’s nine-year-old is a strong 6/1 favourite.
Relegate hoping for promotion to the big time
Winner of the Champion Bumper when trained by Willie Mullins, Relegate was having a first run over 3m at Punchestown last month.
That was also his first run of the season and first for Colm Murphy, who will likely have targeted this race from months ago.
He is only a best 13/2 but will have plenty of supporters, especially among the Irish contingent.
Permis another Irish contender to consider
Ireland’s recent record in this race is impressive and Noel Meade’s Tout Est Permis is another strong candidate.
Though he’s only won a maiden so far over hurdles, he has a much higher rating over fences and Eoin Walsh takes off a further 7lb.
Betvictor may be being a tad generous offering 16/1.
Berlais faces a stiff task to follow up last year’s success
Sire Du Berlais is still 7lb higher than when successful 12 months ago in this race.
Despite a more encouraging run at Warwick in January, when ahead of Stoney Mountain, the odds appear stacked against him this year and the general 7/1 looks far too short.
Could Kilbricken go down a Storm?
KILBRICKEN STORM is very much at home around here – he won the Albert Bartlett at The Festival in 2018.
He wasn’t entirely disgraced in the Stayers’ Hurdle last year and has been plugging away in strong 3m handicaps off high marks this season.
He has an excellent chance of reversing form with Skandiburg and Welsh Saint on today’s more favourable terms and should be staying on up the hill as other are falling away.
A general 16/1, most bookmakers are paying out on five places for each-way betting in this race.
