Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase

Race Conditions

The Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase (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 £100,000.

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Recent Winners

The Racing Post Plate (formerly called The Mildmay of Flete) provides another example of why all runners from the Pipe and Henderson yards at the Festival deserve the utmost respect. Nicky Henderson has actually won two of the last three renewals of the race, whilst Martin Pipe won it four times out of five around the turn of the century.

Also worth following are novice chasers, who 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
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

15 of the last 17 winners had run at the Cheltenham Festival before.

12 of the last 14 winners carried no more than 11 stone.

French-bred horses have won 5 of the last 9 renewals (and runner-up in the other 4).

Only 1 winning favourite since 1981.

15 of the last 17 winners finished in the first 4 last time out.

Watch the 2008 Racing Post Plate:

2007 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 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.