The Pertemps Network Final is a Premier Handicap National Hunthurdle 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.[1] In previous seasons qualifiers have included races in Ireland and France.[2]
The race was raised from Listed to Grade Three status from 2018[3] and reclassified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority.[4]
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)
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