Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Tips: 2024 Betting Preview & Trends

The Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle is one of the most competitive handicap hurdles run all season and odds lists at horse racing betting sites look wide open this year.

Now is the perfect time to share our Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle tips ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.

Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Tips

• Back Alaphilippe to win - 7/1 with 888sport

Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Runners in Focus

Here's an in-depth look at some of the leading contenders for the 2022 Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle:

Dunboyne Still to Show Hand

Gordon Elliott has won three of the last four editions of this race so runners from his Cullentra House stables deserve close scrutiny.

Dunboyne entered the Pertemps Final tips conversation when he ran a race full of promise to finish fifth in the Leopardstown qualifier in December. Elliott’s charge was in the process of running a huge race before stumbling and losing valuable momentum after the second-last and then getting hampered by a loose horse around the home turn.

The way he stuck to his task up the run-in strongly suggests he might have gone close to winning that. It looks a result for connections that his mark was left unchanged.

His subsequent outing at Leopardstown in February was much less commendable but he wasn’t helped by a bad mistake two out and the feeling remains that this seven-year-old has a much bigger effort in him at some stage.

Read More: Check out the best Cheltenham offers ahead of the Festival

More Irish Contenders

Elliott has several possible runners for the Pertemps Final but Folcano looks particularly interesting as a horse that appears to have bigger days ahead of him.

The seven-year-old qualified for the Cheltenham Festival contest with a fifth place at Punchestown in November - and since posted a much stronger effort in defeat at Navan when finishing fourth.

The question for his fans is whether those bigger days might just come over trips short of three miles, as at Navan. However, Elliott has long seen him as a stayer, especially on better ground, so don’t be surprised if this gelding bursts into life in March.

Read More: Cheltenham Gold Cup tips

2022 Pertemps Final Tip: Alaphilippe

Alaphilippe looks more interesting from a Warwick qualifier, having travelled strongly throughout before tiring on the run-in and dropping back to fifth.

He probably travelled a bit too well early on and would surely not have been at fever pitch fitness-wise, having not been seen since April 2021.

We know he stays because he’s a Grade 2 winner over an extended three miles at Haydock and there looks to be some wiggle-room in his official rating of 138.

The eight-year-old has Cheltenham Festival form in the book. His starting price was 11/1 in Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle betting last year when he finished fifth - and he tops our Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle tips list.

Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Odds

• Odds correct as of 16/03/2022 - For full latest odds head over to 888sport

Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Trends

• Beware qualifier winners: Only two horses this century have landed the Pertemps Final having won a qualifier.
• Recent glory a negative: No winners of the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle this century came into the race having won in their last outing.
• Irish resurgence: This used to be regarded as a ‘home banker’ but that isn’t the case anymore, with Irish-trained runners winning the last six editions. Irish horses filled three of the first four places in 2020 and 2021.
• Layers delight: This is a bad race for favourite backers. Only three jollies have won this century and 10 of the last 14 winners went off at double-figure prices.
• Distance note: Every winner of the Pertemps Final this century had already run at least once over three miles.
• Age range: Avoid older, more exposed runners. Only one horse older than nine (Buena Vista in 2011) has won the race this century.

Recent Pertemps Final Winners

Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle Verdict

It's a tough heat to call but this looks the right race for ALAPHILIPPE, who shaped so well for such a long way when fifth behind Sporting John at Wawrick.

That first outing of the season should tee him up perfectly for a tilt at this big Festival prize and although there will probably be better-handicapped horses come the day, well-treated horses get beaten by the bucketload in this race.

His overall profile fits the bill and he fits the trends, so Alaphilippe is our Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle tip.

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