2024 Pertemps Final Tips - Trends and tips Thursday's first handicap
The 1st of the 3 handicaps on St Patrick's Day at Cheltenham, the 2024 Pertemps Final, will see the participation of the season's top qualifiers. Clear trends from past races include winners being largely no older than eight and running on or after January 10th. Few top contenders like White Rhino, Cleatus Poolaw, Alpech Amin, Anna Bunina, Springwell Bay among others are set to make the race an exciting one.
- Free guide to the 2024 Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
- This handicap takes place on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 14th March
- White Rhino and Cleatus Poolaw feature in our verdict
The first of three handicaps on St Patrick's Day at Cheltenham is the Pertemps Final. Qualifying races have taken place all over Britain and Ireland during the regular season, with the 24 highest-rated qualifiers making the final field.
Here's our free guide to the 2024 Pertemps Final, which includes some key ten-year trends and our best betting tips in the verdict.
2024 Pertemps Final Key Ten-Year Trends
10 of the last 10 winners were no older than eight-years-old
9 of the last 10 winners ran on or after January 10th
9 of the last 10 winners were rated between 138 and 148
9 of the last 10 winners returned an SP of 14/1 or shorter
2024 Pertemps Final Tips
Chantry House is, somehow, favourite for this year's Pertemps. Nicky Henderson's ten-year-old has suffered three double-figure length defeats this season, finishing seventh of eight on his first attempt to qualify for the final, before sneaking into the race with a fourth-place finish at Huntingdon. I don't fancy Chantry House in the slightest.
Delta Work was the last novice to score in the Pertemps Final and Cleatus Poolaw will attempt to follow his stablemates' example. It's very hard to say whether Gordon Elliott's six-year-old is well-treated off a mark of 139, but from the evidence we have, Cleatus Poolaw looks like he'll get three miles comfortably.
Farouk D'Alene is the highest-rated runner in the field and Carl Miller will likely take seven pounds off the top-weight's back, meaning no horse will be carrying more than 11-7 in this year's final. There are currently 36 entrants rated between 145 and 125, so I doubt anyone rated lower than that will make the final field.
Gaoth Chuil is the highest-placed of the qualifier winners in the betting. Cuthbert Dibble, Noble Birth, Goshhowposh and Shallow River also booked their spots in the final with a victory, but history is against all of them, as only two of the last 24 winners of the final had won a qualifying race.
Springwell Bay was deemed good enough to run in a Grade One at Aintree as a novice and Jonjo O'Neill's seven-year-old has done nothing but progress this season. Icare Allen was quietly ridden into the third qualifying spot on his first start over three miles at Aintree in November and Willie Mullins has decided not to run his six-year-old in the interim.
White Rhino was rated just 74 when he won on his handicap debut last season, but has progressed up to a mark of 129 and wasn't beaten that far in the qualifier at Huntingdon off this mark. Gabbys Cross is still rated much lower over hurdles than he is over fences, and Mill Green cannot be ruled out either, given he's finished third in the last two Pertemps Finals.
There are a few at much longer prices who hold appeal. Judicial Law ran well here at Cheltenham earlier in the season and warmed up for Cheltenham with a decent spin at Newbury. Alpesh Amin and Anna Bunina will bolster the Irish challenge on day three of the Cheltenham Festival. Lord Snootie could play a role too, if he was to sneak in at the bottom of the weights.
Verdict
Despite their relative inexperience, Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero proved last year that they could ready at Cheltenham Festival winner when Iroko struck in the Martin Pipe. White Rhino has improved almost 60 pounds over the past year and brings some strong course form to the table, having finished second to American Sniper in November, before winning well over three miles at the December meeting.
Of the Irish contenders, Cleatus Poolaw has to be in with a big chance. Gordon Elliott's novice beat some decent rivals home when placing behind Daddy Long Legs and Ballyburn earlier in the season and I have no doubt that he will see out this extended distance.
Emmet McNamara's improving seven-year-old Alpech Amin appeals to me at a much longer price. John McConnell's hardy mare, Anna Bunina has to be considered too, especially if the ground dries up a little. All four make it onto my shortlist.
Of the Irish contenders, Cleatus Poolaw has to be in with a big chance. Gordon Elliott's novice beat some decent rivals home when placing behind Daddy Long Legs and Ballyburn earlier in the season and I have no doubt that he will see out this extended distance.
Emmet McNamara's improving seven-year-old Alpech Amin appeals to me at a much longer price. John McConnell's hardy mare, Anna Bunina has to be considered too, especially if the ground dries up a little. All four make it onto my shortlist.
Cleatus Poolaw
2024 Pertemps Final Contenders
@7/1 - 10 Units
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White Rhino
2024 Pertemps Final Contenders
@14/1 - 10 Units
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