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Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase
Race Conditions
The Byrne Group Plate (4:00pm) is a Class A Grade 3 handicap chase run over two miles and five furlongs and is open to horses aged five years old and upwards. The total prize fund is £80,000.
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Recent Winners
The Byrne Group Plate (formerly called The Festival Plate, The Racing Post Plate and The Mildmay of Flete) has proven to be a successful race in recent years for the yards of Venetia Williams and Nicky Henderson, who have trained the winner of four of the last five renewals.
Novice chasers have a good record in race as they often turn out to be well handicapped compared to their more experienced rivals. However, with the introduction of the Jewson Handicap specifically for novices, that trend may decline in coming years.
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Something Wells | 8 | Miss Venetia Williams | 33/1 |
| 2008 | Mister McGoldrick | 11 | Mrs S J Smith | 66/1 |
| 2007 | Idole First | 8 | Miss Venetia Williams | 12/1 |
| 2006 | Non So | 8 | N Henderson | 14/1 |
| 2005 | Liberthine | 6 | N Henderson | 25/1 |
| 2004 | Tikram | 7 | G Moore | 12/1 |
| 2003 | Young Spartacus | 10 | H Daly | 16/1 |
| 2002 | Blowing Wind | 9 | M Pipe | 25/1 |
| 2000 | Dark Stranger | 9 | M Pipe | 14/1 |
| 1999 | Majadou | 5 | M Pipe | 7/4F |
| 1998 | Super Coin | 10 | R Lee | 7/1 |
| 1997 | Terao | 11 | M Pipe | 20/1 |
| 1996 | Old Bridge | 8 | A Turnell | 14/1 |
| 1995 | Kadi | 6 | D Nicholson | 11/2 |
| 1994 | Elfast | 11 | J Webber | 8/1 |
Key Trends
French-bred horses have won 6 of the last 10 renewals (and runner-up in the other 4) and finished 1-2-3 last year.
Only 1 winning favourite since 1981 (the last 9 favourites finished unplaced).
16 of the last 18 winners finished in the first 4 last time out.
Venetia Williams has trained 2 of the last 3 winners (and the first and second in 2009).
16 of the last 18 winners had run at the Cheltenham Festival before.
3 of the last 5 winners had placed at the Festival before (and last season's winner Something Wells fell when leading the "Jewson" field 12 months earlier).
2010 Byrne Group Plate Preview
Two of the sports most prominent owners, David Johnson and JP McManus, hold a powerful hand between them here, with both having at least three credible contenders.
Song Of Songs looks to be JP’s number one, but there must be a doubt about him staying the trip, so 2008 Jewson winner Finger On the Pulse could be better value, back on his preferred good ground.
Pick of the Johnson trio will probably prove to be Capoturgeon - who won last seasons’ Jewson in style but who has shot himself in the foot on more than one occasion this year when appearing to have a major chance in a big handicap here - but it is always dangerous to write off the evergreen Old Vic.
Like Old Vic, I’m So Lucky is trained by David Pipe and looks to have been laid out for this race. He must have decent ground and so the drying conditions will be right up his street.
There are so many decent handicaps run at this distance at Cheltenham throughout the season, so it is not surprising that many of these are standing dishes in this type of race, chief amongst them being the amazing veteran Mister McGoldrick, Private Bee and Stan. However, the handicapper probably knows all about them by now and so it should pay to try to find a less exposed type.
The lightly raced Watch My Back falls into that category. He loves decent ground and was impressive at Doncaster last time. His shrewd trainer also knows how to ready one for the Festival.
Another angle is to try to find an Irish raider that will be suited by spring ground.
In Compliance looked likely to develop into a top class chaser a few seasons ago, but injury halted his rise through the ranks. He has come back this season after a long lay off and shown signs of his old ability. He is certainly one who’ll relish underfoot conditions.
Another is Made In Taipan who ran well for a long way before eventually finishing fourth in last season’s Arkle. He has been tried at a variety of trips since, but this distance should suit him best granted good ground.
A third Irish runner to consider is Plaisir D’Estruval, although he may struggle to get into the line up.
One final horse worth a mention is The Sawyer, who loves Cheltenham and has been in outstanding form all year.
CONCLUSION: Plaisir D’Estruval would be the choice were it not for the fact that he is so far down the list of entries he may not get a run. In his likely absence, I’M SO LUCKY gets the vote ahead of Watch My Back. The classy In Compliance is an interesting outsider.
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2009 Freddie Williams Plate Review
This year's Festival Plate was renamed to honour legendary Festival bookmaker Freddie Williams, who passed away last year.
Despite the huge field, very few managed to land a blow and it was left to the Venetia Williams pair of SOMETHING WELLS and Ping Pong Sivola to fight out the finish.
The two were at opposite ends of the market, but it was the less fancied Something Wells who got his head in front when it mattered, eventually wearing down his stablemate, who had shot clear at the top of the hill, after jumping four out.
The winner had fallen in last year’s Jewson, but he jumped well here and deserved a big race win, having been running consistently well for a while now.
It is hard not to feel sorry for the runner up Ping Pong Sivola, who made a brave bid for glory from such a long way out. She looked certain to be gobbled up by the winner two out, but battled on gamely all the way to the line and was denied by less than a length at the end.
There was a mile back to the third, Notable D’Estruval who did his chances no favours with a bad mistake at the second last
Three Mirrors, in fourth, was running on well at the end again, but he is making a habit of getting going all too late and is becoming expensive to follow.
Last year’s eighth, Cossack Dancer defied odds of 100/1 to finish a respectable fifth, whilst the winner of the Jewson at least year’s Festival, Finger Onthe Pulse was sixth, running here off a 15lb higher mark.
Other challengers to the front two might have emerged, but for some carnage four out. Le Burf, who was still travelling okay in the chasing pack, was the first to fall, bringing down the staying on Perce Rock in the process. Pop, who was also starting to get into the race, fell independently at the same obstacle.
The owners of Something Wells celebrate after the 33-1 shot wins the Freddie Williams Festival Plate
2008 Racing Post Plate Review
Arguably the most competitive race of the meeting produced the biggest shock of the Festival as veteran MISTER MCGOLDRICK turned back the clock to land this valuable handicap in hugely impressive fashion.
The winner spread-eagled the field running down the hill for the final time, turning the race into a procession, and the eventual winning distance was 13 lengths, with a further 11 lengths back to the third.
This was Mister McGoldrick’s finest moment since finishing third in the 2006 Queen Mother, but the handicapper is likely to have his say as a result and he may struggle to win again in the near future.
If you take the winner out of the race then Gwanako would have been an equally impressive winner. This was just his third run over fences and he looks sure to improve with time / experience. He looks like one to follow next season especially given his powerful connections.
Fundamentalist also ran a blinder in third, as this was his second run at the Festival in the space of just 48 hours. He has at last started to fulfil the immense promise he first showed when winning the Sun Alliance Novices Hurdle at the 2004 Festival.
Bible Lord, in fourth, spoilt his chances with some iffy jumping. He remains well enough handicapped to win a big prize next season.
Another Festival favourite, Palarshan, flew up the hill in his customary fashion to take fifth, whilst Boychuk (sixth) ran his usual race, dropping out of condition when the pace started to quicken before rallying when the contest was all but over – he is becoming increasingly frustrating and difficult to win with.
The well backed favourite, Don’t Push It, was beaten when coming to grief two out. He was hugely promising last season, but has had a badly interrupted campaign this year and so shouldn’t be written off just yet. In time, he may benefit from a further step up in trip.
2007 Racing Post Plate Review
Another example of a horse coming back to show his best form at the Festival, as the 2005 Coral Cup winner IDOLE FIRST claimed the most valuable handicap of the meeting.
Certain horses just seem to be suited to the Festival – be it because of the fast pace of the races, the uniqueness of the Cheltenham circuit, the invariably decent ground or simply the time of year – and the Venetia Williams trained runner was always travelling well just off the pace and rarely looked like losing after taking over the lead swinging for home. In fact, he positively sprinted clear on the run in and was still over four lengths in front at the death.
As if to emphasis the point about Festival specialists, Palarshan put up an incredible performance in second. The 2003 Grand Annual winner had been off the course for 728 days going into the race but finished best of all to pip a whole host of horses for the runners up spot. Not only was this a great effort from the horse, it was also a tremendous training feat by Henry Daly.
Mariah Rollins, Le Volfoni, Slim Pickings and Reveillez (who won last season’s Jewson) were the horses who were passed by Palarshan on the run in and left to battle it out for third.
For Mariah Rollins, who just won that battle, this was the mare’s best run by far since joining Nicky Henderson from Ireland. The drying ground was clearly the key.
Le Volfoni in fourth, also relished underfoot conditions. He has had a light campaign so far as connections have waited for the ground to improve and he could yet win a decent race before the end of the season if we have a dry spring.
Slim Pickings travelled noticeably well throughout the race, but lacked a change of gear when it mattered. A step up in trip should bring about further improvement in the horse, who has clearly thrived since moving to Tom Taaffe.
Reveillez and Madison Du Berlais both ran well, but have been penalised for winning decent events in the recent past and consequently are in the grip of the handicapper.
Opera Mundi was a very well backed favourite, but ran no sort of race. Much better was clearly expected and he may well leave this form behind in the future.
2006 Racing Post Plate Review
NON SO’S success in this fiercely competitive handicap provided trainer Nicky Henderson with his second consecutive win in the race. It also provided the horse with a deserved big race success, which he’s looked like securing on a number of occasions in the past only for his jumping to let him down.
There was no such problem here as, having just taken up the running, he cleared the last two fences in style to win going away.
Kelrev was equally well clear in second. However, having been ridden off the pace he was too far off Non So when that horse kicked for home, and his pursuit of winner up the straight was always going to be a forlorn one. Kelrev loves these big handicaps as the break neck speed at which there are invariably run seems to suit him well.
The third, Graphic Approach, was returning to form here and seemed to enjoy the drop back in trip having disappointed at Sandown last time.
Saintsaire, a stable mate of the winner, was the unlucky horse of the race. He took a crashing fall at the last when in third place, having led for most of the race. He was nicely clear at the top of the hill and kept on bravely – he deserved better. Thankfully, having stayed on the ground for sometime, he eventually got back to his feet and was only winded.
The eye catcher amongst the stragglers was undoubtedly Le Passing. He was practically tailed off at one point, but flew home to finish seventh, having passed umpteen horses on the way. He is well worth looking out for when he next gets his favoured heavy ground.