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
Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...
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
Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important 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
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
s and
pounds.''
See also
*
Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total di ...
*
List of British National Hunt races
References
racenewsonline.co.uk– ''Racenews Archive (21 February 2008).''
*
*
Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...
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External links
* Race Recordings (1981, 1985-2004
youtube.com
{{Cheltenham Festival
National Hunt races in Great Britain
Cheltenham Racecourse
National Hunt hurdle races
Horse races established in 1974
1974 establishments in England