The Festival Plate is currently known as the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase.
The Festival Plate will run on the 14th of March2024.
The Festival Plate is a Grade 3 Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. It is over an extended two and a half miles and is currently scheduled for day 3 of the meeting.
There have been two dual winners in The Tsarevich (1985, 1986) and Elfast (1992, 1994). Other notable past winners include Blowing Wind (2002), Liberthine (2005), Siruh Du Lac (2019) and The Shunter (2021).
The Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase is available to horses aged five and up.
This Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase is run over a distance of roughly 2 miles and 412 furlongs on the New Course at Cheltenham, and there are seventeen obstacles to jump during the race.
It is a handicap race that takes place on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival every year.
Many Paddy Power Plate horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.
If you are looking for more racing tips for events taking place at Cheltenham then check out our Cheltenham horse racing tips page.
The Festival Plate, formerly known as the Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase, was first held in 1951.
The first dual winner was Nicky Henderson’s The Tsarevich in 1985 and 1986. He was a very high-class chaser who would go on to place in the Grand National at Aintree.
Elfast (1992, 1994) is the only other horse to win the race twice. He was beaten in all nine races between those victories and was also off the track for 369 days. He beat Dublin Flyer when recording his second victory but fell at the first in the Grand National on his next start.
2002 winner Blowing Wind sprang a 25-1 surprise for Martin Pipe, catching stable companion and favourite Lady Cricket in the final fifty yards. He is best known for having finished third in the 2001 Grand National after refusing and being remounted by Tony McCoy.
Liberthine also won here at 25-1 in 2005, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen. Liberthine was also Aintree-bound, winning the Topham Trophy in 2006 and finishing fifth to Silver Birch in the 2007 Grand National. Her rider famously signed off his riding career about 2023 Grand National winner Noble Yeats.
Siruh Du Lac landed a famous victory under an inspired ride by Lizzie Kelly in 2019. The combination were completing a fourth successive victory but the horse lost his form afterwards. The Shunter was another progressive chaser to win this race. He was landing a bonus for winning at Kelso over hurdles on his previous start and was heavily supported down to 9-4 favourite.
It used to be called the Racing Post Plate.
Key Festival Plate Trials
Winners of the Festival Plate have come from a wide variety of races.
Four of the last twelve winners had a previous victory at Cheltenham to their credit.
There are a series of top-quality two-and-a-half-mile handicap chases at Cheltenham during the winter and these are the best races in which to search for Festival Plate clues.
Seven of the last eleven winners returned to the Cheltenham Festival the following season but all were beaten.
Three of them ran in this race again, two falling and Holmwood Legend (2011) finishing sixth.
Festival Plate Betting Trends
The Festival Plate has produced a mixed bag of results from well-backed favourites to rank outsiders.
Favourites to oblige in recent years were Salut Flo (2012) 9-2, The Storyteller (2018) 5-1, Simply The Betts (2020) 100-30 and The Shunter (2021) 9-4.
The biggest shock during the same period was the 50-1 victory of Carrickboy in 2013, trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Liam Treadwell. Darna (2015) returned at 33-1, Holmwood Legend (2011) at 25-1 and Coole Cody (2023) at 22-1.
Coole Cody was also notable for being the oldest winner since 2008 at the age of eleven.
There does not appear to be any particular age bias with Road To Respect (2017) and Siruh Du Lac (2019) winning at the age of six.
Nine of the last twelve winners had an official rating of 146 or higher.
The highest-rated winner was Simply The Betts (2020) who won off a mark of 149.
Festival Plate – Top Trainers and Jockeys
Three trainers share top honours with four wins in the Festival Plate; Bobby Renton, Martin Pipe and Nicky Henderson. The latter won twice with The Tsarevich (1985, 1986) and also with Liberthine (2005) and Non So (2006).
David Pipe won the race three times between 2010 and 2014 with Great Endeavour (2010), Salut Flo (2012) and Ballynagour (2014).
No jockey has been able to equal Fred Winter’s record of three wins in this race, set between 1951 and 1958. His first winner was Slender who dead-heated with Canford. Bryan Cooper won it in successive seasons with Empire Of Dirt (2016) and Road To Respect (2017).
W P Mullins should always be feared.
Betting on the Festival Plate
The Festival Plate is one of the most competitive handicap chases of the Cheltenham Festival meeting. It always attracts a big field with plenty of each-way betting opportunities. Course form is clearly an advantage in a race that has thrown up its fair share of surprises over the years.
If you are looking to bet on the Festival Plate we recommend these bookies:
Betfair bet £10 and get £30 is a decent offer if you are opening an account for Cheltenham betting. Betfair is one of the best bookmakers around and is highly recommended for betting on the Cheltenham Festival as well as other top sporting events. Find out more about them today.
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Bet £10 and get £30 in free bet credits with William Hill for the Cheltenham races. These can be used on all the big races at the Festival including the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle. Certain deposit restrictions may apply.
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Bet £5 and get £20 with Ladbrokes is a good deal for punters who want to wage a small amount of their money but see a decent amount of free bet credits. As one of the leading and most respected bookies in the UK there are lots of benefits to opening an account whether for Cheltenham betting or at other times of the year.
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The Unibet offer is a bit different from other bookies and is your money back as a free bet credit if your horse finished in second. This takes away some of the pain of just missing out! Unibet are great Cheltenham bookmaker and currently sponsors the Champion Hurdle, check out our full review for more info.
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The Mr Play Cheltneham offer of bet £10 and get £15 is not one of the best on the market. However, this new bookmaker is hugely popular for punters looking for a new betting site. We have reviewed all of the best features, read our review or follow the link for more info.
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A good new offer for Paddy Power customers, basically bet £20 and you’ll be refunded in cash if you lose. This is a great Cheltenham offer from this leading Irish bookmaker. For information on them including BOG, live streaming of Cheltenham races and more, follow the links.
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Claim your SBK Cheltenham Offer when you deposit £10 and get £20 in Cheltenham Festival free bets.
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All of the above have been favourably reviewed, with some having Cheltenham free bet offers, betting exchange options on Cheltenham betting markets, live streaming, various deposit methods, bonus bets on specific Cheltenham races and more for new customers. Be sure to follow the links for more information.
Popular Questions
What distance is the Festival Plate?
The Festival Plate is 2 miles and 4 furlongs long.
Who sponsors the Festival Plate?
Paddy Power is the sponsor of the Festival Plate.
Summary of the Festival Plate
The Festival Plate is one of the most hotly contested races at Cheltenham and one we always look forward to.
A tricky handicap its always a good idea to look for value and each way bets!
Enjoy!
Other Cheltenham Related Articles
If you have enjoyed this Paddy Power Plate review page, here are some other articles related to Cheltenham betting you may also like:
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As part of British Racecourses, I enjoy visiting and reviewing the racecourses that we visit, all of which I think have something to offer and are brilliant in their own ways.
Betfair bet £10 and get £30 is a decent offer if you are opening an account for Cheltenham betting. Betfair is one of the best bookmakers around and is highly recommended for betting on the Cheltenham Festival as well as other top sporting events. Find out more about them today.
The bet365 Cheltenham offer is one of the best out there. As one of the top UK bookies we would expect this. The offer is a current deposit £10 and get £30 in free bet credits, for information and T&Cs follow the links below.
The Betfred offer is a great one -deposit £10 and get up to £40 in bet bonuses. These can be used on a variety of betting markets including racing, football and other sports. For more information on this leading UK bookmaker read our full view.
Get the 888Sport Bet £10 and get £30 Cheltenham offer today. For full terms and conditions or to claim this great free bet credit for the Cheltenham Festival simply follow the link now.
Coral is another hugely popular bookmaker and a high-street name. This deal for new customers is a good one, for more information on this free bets credit either follow the link or check out our bespoke review. As with all betting offers certain terms and conditions will apply.
Take advantage of the very best Cheltenham betting offers and free bets at the Parimatch sportsbook website with great sportsbook sign up bonuses for new horse racing bettors at the Cheltenham Festival
Bet £10 and get £30 in free bet credits with William Hill for the Cheltenham races. These can be used on all the big races at the Festival including the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle. Certain deposit restrictions may apply.
Bet £5 and get £20 with Ladbrokes is a good deal for punters who want to wage a small amount of their money but see a decent amount of free bet credits. As one of the leading and most respected bookies in the UK there are lots of benefits to opening an account whether for Cheltenham betting or at other times of the year.
The Unibet offer is a bit different from other bookies and is your money back as a free bet credit if your horse finished in second. This takes away some of the pain of just missing out! Unibet are great Cheltenham bookmaker and currently sponsors the Champion Hurdle, check out our full review for more info.
The Mr Play Cheltneham offer of bet £10 and get £15 is not one of the best on the market. However, this new bookmaker is hugely popular for punters looking for a new betting site. We have reviewed all of the best features, read our review or follow the link for more info.
A different Cheltenham offer from 32Red is their 100 profit boost! This one is definitely worth checking out as its totally different from the type of Cheltenham offered by other leading bookmakers. Read their full T&Cs to find out more.
Betway’s £70 in free bets for the countdown to 2023 Cheltenham Festival is an impressive sign up bonus
A good new offer for Paddy Power customers, basically bet £20 and you’ll be refunded in cash if you lose. This is a great Cheltenham offer from this leading Irish bookmaker. For information on them including BOG, live streaming of Cheltenham races and more, follow the links.
There’s a BetUK Cheltenham Offer to claim that requires you to just deposit and wager £20 and get £60 in Cheltenham Festival free bets.
A Cheltenham double-the-odds promotion from Grosvenor is good and Cheltenham offer with a difference. New to the UK gambling scene Grosvenor is growing in popularity, check out the perks in our full review.
The livescorebet Cheltenham free bet made our top list of hand-selected Cheltenham Festival special offers for horse racing punters looking to wager bets in the UK or Ireland
Take advantage of the Matchbook £50 free bets for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival
Boylesports Bet 10 Get 60 Cheltenham Offer is for Ireland Customers Only
QuinnBet has multiple Cheltenham Offers from £35 free bets on Cheltenham Festival or the bet 10 get 60 betting promotion for Irish punters
Kwiff Cheltenham Betting offer of a free £20 bet is good who sportsbook punters who also enjoy playing casino online
Claim your SBK Cheltenham Offer when you deposit £10 and get £20 in Cheltenham Festival free bets.
Use code COMMFREE to trade with 0% for 60 days for Cheltenham Festival Free Bets. Minimum £10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Instant Banking. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply.
