The Festival Plate is currently known as the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase.
The Festival Plate takes place on Thursday 16th March 2023.
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.
Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase 2023 Odds
The 2023 odds for the Paddy Power Plate are below:
Plate Handicap Chase - NRNB - BOG
Date: Thursday 16th of March 2023
Time: 16:10
Details: 14 Runners Non Runner No Bet. Enhanced Place Terms.
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.
Place a £10 Sportsbook bet on Horse racing between the 13th and 17th March, at min. odds 1.5 (1/2) — get £45 in free bets. Only deposits via cards will qualify, Apple pay not valid on this promotion.
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.
New 18+ UK customers. Register with CHELT40 between 09:00 on 10/03/2023 and 17:30 on 17/03/2023. Deposit, using a Debit Card, and place first bet on sports within 7 days of registering. Bet must be £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ in one bet transaction. £40 in Free Bets credited within 10 hours of bet settlement, expires 7-days after issue. First bet must be settled within 7 days of registration. Proof of I.D and address may be required.
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.
£10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries apply.
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.
18+ New UK+IRE customers. PayPal and certain deposit and bet types excluded. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions 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
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 on horse racing markets (odds 3.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get 4x£5 free bets (odds 3.00+) for selected horse racing markets. Offer Valid until 09:00 UK time on 17/03/2023. Free bets expire at specified times. Card payments only. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
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.
New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions 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.
18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply.
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.
New customers only. 18+, BeGambleAware.org. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus. Wagering requirements: Sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), Casino 25x. Only one bonus can be used at a time, Sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the Casino, unless the bonus has been forfeited. Bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in.
Bet £10 and get £40 is one of the best Cheltenham offers around. It is certainly worth checking out, with this top UK bookmaker have a great easy-to-use betting platform and more. Check the terms and conditions below.
18+ New customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £10 qualifying bet on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 3x £10 Horse Racing Free Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater. Plus, a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw a max of £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
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.
18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
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.
Opt in. Min. Odds Evs, Max. £10 stake, Max. additional profit £100. Skrill and Neteller deposits are not eligible – See full terms
Betway’s £70 in free bets for the countdown to 2023 Cheltenham Festival is an impressive sign up bonus
All UK Customers. Opt-in required. Minimum stake: £25. Total Free Bets: 2 x £5 plus £5 added to Cheltenham Pot upon weekly qualification from 11/02/23 – 10/03/23. Qualify for all 4 weeks and receive an extra £10 free bet. Single Multiples including 3 or more selections only. Real money bets only. Min. overall odds: 2/1 (3.00). Enhanced prices and eSports excluded. Pot credited in full on 13/03/23. 18+ BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way.
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.
New customers Only. Cash stakes only. Min £10 stake required for initial £5 free bet. Min odds ½. Max £25 in free bets. 13 settled bets required to receive full £25 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed on sportsbook within 30 days of opening account. One free bet offer per customer, household or IP address only. Free bets expires after 7 days. Payment method restrictions apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
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.
New customers on mobile only. 7 days to claim and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Free, void, cashed out or partially cashed out bets do not qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets are non-withdrawable, and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry. 18+BeGambleAware.org.
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.
New Customer Offer. T&Cs Apply. 18+. Please Gamble Responsibly.
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
New members only. Min £10 bet on sportsbook (ex. forecasts, tricasts & virtual sports), placed & settled within 14 days of sign-up . Min odds 1.5. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: sportsbook only (ex. virtual), accept within 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance. ex E/Ws & Multiples. Stakes not returned. BeGambleAware.org. 18+
1 x £1 non-withdrawable Free Bet Token. Claim 1x Free bet per day 14/03/23-17/03/23. Use by 23:59 the following day. Use on LiveScore Bet sportsbook. Valid on any market. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. 18+
A greal deal of a 100% profit boost up to £100 is something a little different from LeoVegas. If you haven’t heard of this top bookmaker then they are definitely worth checking out. Follow the links and find out more today, including the full terms and conditions of this promo.
T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via “My Offers” page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
Take advantage of the Matchbook £50 free bets for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival
Open to New Customers Only. New Customers must register with bonus code:MB50. To build the free bet bank, the user must stake £25 or more on Horse Racing between Monday and Sunday for each individual week of the promotional period. The user will receive a £10 free bet for each individual week they qualify. The max free bet bank the user can accumulate is £50, and can only be used on Cheltenham Festival markets only. 18+ only. BeGambleAware.
Boylesports Bet 10 Get 60 Cheltenham Offer is for Ireland Customers Only
IRE/NI new customers only. €/£60 in FREE Bets (FB) as €/£30 in sports bets, €/£20 Cheltenham sports bets & a €/£10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit €/£10. Min stake €/£10. Min odds Evs. Initial FB & CB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. Cheltenham €/£20 applied as 4 x €/£5 & will be credited each day of the festival. Offer available 23/02/23, 12:00 until 09/03/23, 11:59. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept €/£10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable €/£100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 18+. T&Cs apply.
QuinnBet has multiple Cheltenham Offers from £35 free bets on Cheltenham Festival or the bet 10 get 60 betting promotion for Irish punters
For the Cheltenham Festival 2023, we’ve enhanced our UK welcome betting offer. Register with QuinnBet and get 50% back as a Free Bet up to £35 + 10 free casino spins. A minimum of 3 bets at odds of evans (2.00) or greater is required to qualify for the max free bet, which is based on first day losses. Even if you account is up, a single £10 Bet at the minimum odds, secures a £5 Free Bet & 10 Free Spins. UK 18+. begambleaware
Kwiff Cheltenham Betting offer of a free £20 bet is good who sportsbook punters who also enjoy playing casino online
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
Claim your SBK Cheltenham Offer when you deposit £10 and get £20 in Cheltenham Festival free bets.
New UK, IE & Malta customers only. Min £10/€10 first deposit using Debit Card. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 1.5. Free bets expire in 90 days. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.
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.
Use code COMMFREE to trade with 0% commission for 60 days. New UK, IE & Malta users only. Min. £10/€10 first deposit using card or online banking. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.
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:
As the Co-Founder of British Racecourses, I love the chance to share my enjoyment of racing with others. As a family, we have always loved the racing and went to Haydock races as kids, as often as we could. We are now lucky enough to own some fantastic racehorses who we will follow around the tracks and we have had some great wins.
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.
