Cheltenham Festival 2023: Tom Collins takes a deep dive into the Pertemps Final
By Tom Collins
Pertemps Final Odds27 February 2023
Often synonymous with ‘plot jobs’ and major gambles, the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle has the expectation of being one of the most volatile punting races at the Cheltenham Festival.
It’s also a race that has been dominated by Ireland in recent years. Since 2016, Irish-trained challengers have filled 19 of the 35 positions (54%) from first to fifth in the Pertemps Final. For some context, only 45 of the 163 (28%) total runners during that timespan were trained in the Emerald Isle, so it’s fair to say they performed far better than the home contingent on a consistent basis.
However, the BHA amended the handicapping system for older horses trained in England at the start of last year and, despite Ireland ending with a strong grip on the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, their success in this race wasn’t as marked. Emmet Mullins’ Winter Fog performed best by taking fourth, one of just three Irish trainees to finish inside the top 10 despite the fact they boasted their largest Pertemps team.
English horses could have a slight edge going forward, although it’s worth noting that the ante-post market for this year’s heat firmly disagrees. The Pertemps is always one of the most exciting handicaps to preview, and here is a synopsis of the leading players.
Bear Ghylls
Form: 4/3744
Trainer: Nicky Martin
Owner: Bradley Partnership
Current price: 26
An unexposed eight-year-old hailing from a yard whose horses are generally underrated. Bear Ghylls posted a career-best effort when fourth in the 2021 Ballymore behind Bob Olinger, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Bravemansgame, before being forced to the sideline for 592 days.
Three of his four starts this term have come over fences, but this front-runner showed some quality when he qualified for the final by finishing fourth on Saturday and he looks feasibly treated over hurdles. The slower the ground the better for Bear Ghylls, but it’s extremely difficult to win this from the front.
Captain Morgs
Form: 5-2321
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Owner: The Albatross Club
Current price: 13.5
Unlike Bear Ghylls, Captain Morgs needs good ground to be seen at his best. Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old has frustrated with eight places and just three victories from 15 starts, but looked revitalised by the application of first-time cheekpieces when last seen over this course and distance in December.
He’s been kept off the track ever since due to unsuitable ground, and a new career-best will be needed to feature. Henderson’s runners in this race over the last 10 years have earned the following uninspiring finishing positions: 00701P70005P3. Not for me.
Good Time Jonny
Form: -P4030
Trainer: Tony Martin
Owner: A Shiels, D Gavigan & N Reilly
Current price: 21
Strong-travelling gelding who has been interestingly placed by shrewd trainer Tony Martin throughout his career with the aim of winning big prizes. It hasn’t always worked out, but he notably landed a 22-runner affair at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival.
After that, Martin stated that he wouldn’t go to Cheltenham as the horse ‘didn’t like it’ on his prior visit. Nevertheless, he ended up running in the Albert Bartlett and finished ninth of 16. Good Time Jonny has run on the flat, over hurdles and in chases this term (his best effort came in a qualifier behind Maxxum) and he remains nicely handicapped in this sphere. However, this course presents a big question mark.
Hector Javilex
Form: 1-5414
Trainer: Charlie Longsdon
Owner: David Mason
Current price: 17
Inexperienced and unexposed after just seven starts, Hector Javilex produced back-to-back career-best efforts at this track in November and January. The latter resulted in an impressive seven-length victory over this three-mile trip under Lilly Pinchin.
His only start since saw him qualify for this final when he finished fourth at Huntingdon - he travelled as well as anything but failed to reel in the subsequent Grade 2-placed Itchy Feet, who dominated from the outset. Hector Javilex is proven at this trip, on this course and likes good ground, but this will be his toughest task to date.
Maxxum
Form: 42110
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Owner: Patrick Rabbitt
Current price: 8.4
Talk about being well treated! Maxxum joined Gordon Elliott at the start of the season with a rating of 99 and followed an unfortunate second on his reappearance with two bloodless victories, which saw him rise up the handicap by 39lb. The second of those successes came in a qualifier at Leopardstown, which has produced two of the last four winners of this final.
He was immediately installed as favourite for this event, but lost that status when he walked home in 12th of 17 off his new mark at the Dublin Racing Festival. Maxxum suffered interference at a crucial point that day and wasn’t persisted with thereafter, so it might not be wise to take that form literally. Gordon Elliott has won this race three times in the last five years.
Perceval Legallois
Form: 12241
Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
Owner: JP McManus
Current price: 7.2
Owner JP McManus has had a runner finish in the first five in seven of the last 10 renewals of the Pertemps Final, and won it back-to-back in 2019 and 2020 with the brilliant Sire De Berlais, so he knows what is required.
Perceval Legallois has a slightly different profile to many of McManus’ previous entries, though. Gavin Cromwell’s charge racked up a string of consistent and creditable performances yet wasn’t guaranteed to get into the final due to his low mark until he bolted up at the Dublin Racing Festival. That victory near-enough ensures his place in the field and, given he’s still open to improvement, he should be a major player if replicating that form.
Salvador Ziggy
Form: -11114
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Owner: William Hurley & Mrs Aisling Hurley
Current price: 10
This seven-year-old might be the most interesting horse in the entries. Much like the aforementioned Maxxum, Salvador Ziggy struggled for lesser-known connections before moving to Gordon Elliott’s yard and immediately showing drastic improvement.
A son of 2014 Irish Cesarewitch winner El Salvador out of a Westerner mare, stamina should be this seven-year-old’s biggest asset yet his two outings over three miles have proved inconclusive. However, his fourth behind Shoot First in an October qualifier at Cheltenham really caught the eye and he will be a leading player if the ground remains good.
Shoot First
Form: -41281
Trainer: Charles Byrnes
Owner: Dubai Cowboys Syndicate
Current price: 5.1
We all know what Charles Byrnes can do with handicappers, don’t we? The County Limerick trainer has landed some big touches with the likes of Off You Go, Wonder Laish and Poseidon among others in recent years, and will hope to do the same with current Pertemps Final favourite Shoot First.
This lightly raced conveyance justified strong market support to romp home in a qualifier over this course and distance at the end of last year and looked full of running as he hit the line. The handicapper has had his say since and I remain worried about his fluency over hurdles, especially in a big field, but he’s impossible to write off.
Thanksforthehelp
Form: 22-341
Trainer: David Pipe
Owner: JP McManus
Current price: 8.4
David Pipe famously won this race in back-to-back years with Buena Vista (2010 and 2011), and he will look to relive those successes with Thanksforthehelp. This unexposed grey wasn’t considered capable of running here until he bolted up at Chepstow on Saturday, but he was mightily impressive that day and is now a single-figure price to quickly follow up.
Recent wind surgery, the fitting of cheekpieces and a longer trip seemed to be the catalysts for an improved effort. He had previously hinted at ability over shorter distances but failed to settle on a number of occasions, which ultimately proved to be his downfall. Providing he drops his head early and handles the track, Thanksforthehelp has to be feared as we don’t know where his ceiling is yet.
The Bosses Oscar
Form: -42143
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Owner: Bective Stud
Current price: 9.4
The Bosses Oscar finished second to Mrs Milner in this race in 2021 - and I’m still not over it. This horse undoubtedly once possessed the talent to win a Pertemps Final, but he’s only won one race since October 2020 and that was a weak conditions hurdle last summer.
Gordon Elliott has given him an extremely light winter campaign with his sole start coming in a Musselburgh qualifier, where he finished third. Despite his falling mark, he will need to perform much better to feature in the finish and he looks poor value at this stage.