The Pertemps Network Final is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles 7 furlongs and 213 yards, or 4,785 metres), and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

History The event was established in 1974, when it was introduced as a replacement for a previous race at the Festival, the George Duller Handicap Hurdle. It was originally sponsored by Coral, and for much of its early history it was titled the Coral Golden Hurdle Final. It has had various sponsors since 1993, and the latest of these, Pertemps, began supporting the race in 2002.

The Pertemps Network Final is served by a series of qualifier races which take place during the preceding five months. A horse has to be placed in the first four in a qualifier race to be eligible to run in the Final. In the 2023–24 season there are 14 qualifier races, all in Great Britain. In previous seasons qualifiers have included races in Ireland and France.

The race was raised from Listed to Grade Three status from 2018 and reclassified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority.

Records Most successful horse (3 wins): Willie Wumpkins – 1979, 1980, 1981

Leading jockey (3 wins): Jim Wilson – Willie Wumpkins (1979, 1980, 1981) Davy Russell – Mall Dini (2016), Presenting Percy (2017), Delta Work (2018) Barry Geraghty – Inching Closer (2003), Sire Du Berlais (2019, 2020)

Leading trainer (4 wins): Jonjo O'Neill – Danny Connors (1991), Inching Closer (2003), Creon (2004), Holywell (2013)

Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1974 Kastrup 7 10-03 Graham Thorner David Barons 1975 Saffron Cake 6 10-07 Eddie Wright Les Kennard 1976 Good Prospect 7 11-10 Richard Evans John Edwards 1977 Outpoint 7 11-03 Pat O'Brien Fred Winter 1978 Water Colour 9 10-01 Kevin Whyte Martin Tate 1979 Willie Wumpkins 11 10-04 Jim Wilson Jane Pilkington 1980 Willie Wumpkins 12 10-07 Jim Wilson Jane Pilkington 1981 Willie Wumpkins 13 10-08 Jim Wilson Jane Pilkington 1982 Tall Order 8 10-02 Andrew Stringer Louis Foster 1983 Forgive 'n Forget 6 11-06 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald 1984 Canio 7 10-09 John Francome Ron Hodges 1985 Von Trappe 8 10-06 Richard Dunwoody Michael Oliver 1986 Motivator 6 10-07 Graham McCourt Mick Ryan 1987 Taberna Lord 6 11-05 Luke Harvey Jim Wilson 1988 Pragada 5 11-00 Richard Rowe Josh Gifford 1989 Rogers Princess 7 10-00 Shaun Keightley Martin Tate 1990 Henry Mann 7 11-09 Tony Mulholland Simon Christian 1991 Danny Connors 7 10–12 Mark Dwyer Jonjo O'Neill 1992 My View 8 10-04 Jason Titley Michael Purcell 1993 Fissure Seal 7 11-04 Charlie Swan Harry de Bromhead 1994 Tindari 6 10-09 Paul Williams Malcolm Jefferson 1995 Miracle Man 7 10–11 Peter Hobbs Colin Weedon 1996 Great Easeby 6 10-01 Richard McGrath Wilf Storey 1997 Pharanear 7 11-09 Robert Thornton David Nicholson 1998 Unsinkable Boxer 9 10–12 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 1999 Generosa 6 10-01 Norman Williamson John Hassett 2000 Rubhahunish 9 11-02 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 2001 no race 2001 2002 Freetown 6 11-02 Tony Dobbin Len Lungo 2003 Inching Closer 6 11-02 Barry Geraghty Jonjo O'Neill 2004 Creon 9 10-00 Timmy Murphy Jonjo O'Neill 2005 Oulart 6 10-02 Paul Carberry Dessie Hughes 2006 Kadoun 9 11-07 Tom Ryan Michael O'Brien 2007 Oscar Park 8 10-09 Tom Doyle David Arbuthnot 2008 Ballyfitz 8 10-08 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies 2009 Kayf Aramis 7 10-05 Aidan Coleman Venetia Williams 2010 Buena Vista 9 10-01 Hadden Frost David Pipe 2011 Buena Vista 10 10-08 Conor O'Farrell David Pipe 2012 Cape Tribulation 8 10–11 Denis O'Regan Malcolm Jefferson 2013 Holywell 6 11-04 Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill 2014 Fingal Bay 8 11–12 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2015 Call The Cops 6 10–12 Andrew Tinkler Nicky Henderson 2016 Mall Dini 6 10–11 Davy Russell Pat Kelly 2017 Presenting Percy 6 11-11 Davy Russell Pat Kelly 2018 Delta Work 5 10-10 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2019 Sire Du Berlais 7 11-09 Barry Geraghty Gordon Elliott 2020 Sire Du Berlais 8 11-12 Barry Geraghty Gordon Elliott 2021 Mrs Milner 6 10-09 Bryan Cooper Paul Nolan 2022 Third Wind 8 11-10 Tom O'Brien Hughie Morrison 2023 Good Time Jonny 8 11-04 Liam McKenna Tony Martin 2024 Monmiral 7 10-12 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2025 Doddiethegreat 9 11–12 Brian Hughes Nicky Henderson 2026 Supremely West 8 10–11 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races

References

racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (21 February 2008).

Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

External links Race Recordings (1981, 1985-2004) youtube.com