One of the most exciting handicaps of the Cheltenham Festival takes place on the Thursday. It’s always hugely competitive so check out the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle trends ahead of the big race.
You can find all of the key Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle trends further down the page, but we will delve into TWO glaring standouts that should not be ignored.
Plus we have covered more Cheltenham Festival day three trends for the other six races on the card.
9/10 (90%) Last Winners Wore Tongue-Ties And/Or Headgear
The Pertemps final is one of the toughest races to find the winner of during the entirety of the Cheltenham Festival, but we’re hoping these trends can help you along the way.
Looking at the last 10 winners of the race, nine of them wore a tongue-tie, including last year’s winner Doddiethegreat.
Recent Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Winners & Headgear Applied
- 2025 – Doddiethegreat (25/1): Tongue-tie / Cheekpieces
- 2024 – Monmiral (25/1): Tongue-tie / Blinkers
- 2023 – Good Time Jonny (9/1): Tongue-tie
- 2022 – Third Wind (25/1): No headgear
- 2021 – Mrs Milner (12/1): Tongue-tie
- 2020 – Sire Du Berlais (10/1): Tongue-tie / Blinkers
- 2019 – Sire Du Berlais (4/1): Tongue-tie / Cheekpieces
- 2018 – Delta Work (6/1): Tongue-tie / Hood
- 2017 – Presenting Percy (11/1): Tongue-tie
- 2016 – Mall Dini (14/1): Tongue-tie
WATCH: Doddiethegreat Wins 2025 Pertemps Final
A 25-1 winner
A great win for Doddiethegreat wins the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle 🥇🏴#ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @sevenbarrows | @MNDoddie5 pic.twitter.com/cRFTb1cafV
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 13, 2025
How To Find Out If Horses Wear A Tongue-tie or Headgear?
Once declarations are made for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, headgear should be viewable on any race cards (see Racing Post example below).
To find horses sporting a tongue-tie, you should be able to see a lowercase ‘t‘ next to their name. And if a horse you’re looking at is wearing headgear, you’ll see a ‘b‘ for blinkers, ‘v‘ for visor, ‘p‘ for cheekpieces and ‘h‘ for a hood.
See last year’s winner Doddiethegreat with a ‘t’ and ‘p’ next to his name for tongue-tie and cheekpieces.
2026 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Race Details
📅Date: Thurs 12th March 2026
⌚Time: 4:40pm
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
🔄Trip: 2m7f (3m)
💷Winning Prize Money: £61,897
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Trends Also A Worry For Favourite Backers
As well as the key headgear trend already touched on, it’s also worth noting that this race has been a minefield for punters in recent years with just TWO favourites winning out of the last 20 renewals.
It may pay to look away from the market leader once again this year, with just two of them winning in 20 years. Since 2006, only Sire Du Berlais (4/1 fav) in 2019 and Fingal Bay (9/2 fav) left the favourite backers in clover.
Other Key Trends To Look Out For In 2026 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
Positive Trends:
- Irish have won 7 of last 10 runnings
- 13 of last 14 winners aged 8 or younger
- Last 14 winners carried over 10st-9lbs
- 10 of last 18 winners placed in their last race (five won)
- 13 of the last 25 winners were from outside of top 5 in the betting
- 13 of the last 15 winners were rated 138 or higher
- 14 of last 19 winners were rated between 131-142
- 12 of last 15 winners were rated between 138-148
- 12 of last 21 winners had won over at leat 2m7f
- 9 of last 14 winners had run 10 times or less over hurdles before
- 6 of last 13 winners ran 7 or less times over hurdles
- 9 of last 12 winners returned 14/1 or shorter
- 8 of last 25 winners won their last race
- 6 of last 10 winners ran at Leopardstown last time out
- 3 0f last 17 winners finished in the first 5 in the Betfair Hurdle
- Respect, Nicky Henderson, JP McManus-owned and Gordon Elliott-trained horses
- 9 of last 10 wore a tongue-tie
- 7 of last 10 winners were trained in Ireland
Negative Trends:
- Avoid horses with less than 6 runs over hurdles
- Horses that have won 3+ times that season have a poor recent record
- Since 2000, only 1 winner didn’t have a run that calendar year
- 5-year-olds have won just twice since 1973
- Just 1 horse rated 150+ since 2000 has finished in the top 2
- Only 2 winning favourites in last 20 years
- Just 1 winner in last 42 years aged 10+
- Willie Mullins has never won the race
- Paul Nicholls has won just once in 21 attempts
- Horses aged 7 or younger and priced in single-figures are just 3 from 59
NOTE: All Races on day three of Cheltenham Festival will be shown live on ITV Racing as well as Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
