The TrustATrader Plate, formerly the Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 chase run over two and a half miles on Day Three of the Cheltenham Festival. The race has a rich history, having been first run in 1951.
Two horses have won the Plate twice – The Tsarevitch in 1985 and 1986 and Elfast in 1992 and 1994. While trainer Nicky Henderson drew level with Martin Pipe’s record of four wins in the race when Non-So won in 2006.
Despite being a fiercely competitive race, the past six seasons have seen three favourites come out on top. The Storyteller in 2018, Simply The Betts in 2020, and The Shunter in 2021 were all popular choices among TrustATrader Plate odds. However, there have been some surprising results in recent years, such as 50/1 shot Carrickboy in 2013, 33/1 outsider Darna in 2015, and 11-year-old Coole Cody at 22/1 in 2022.
TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
-
Result7th12/1
-
Result11th66/1
-
Result8th14/1
-
Result16th14/1
-
Result13th33/1
-
Result1st8/1
-
Result9th25/1
-
Result2nd9/2
-
Result4th25/1
-
Result17th40/1
-
Result5th10/1
-
Result14th100/1
-
Result12th12/1
-
Result3rd50/1
-
Result6th20/1
-
Result15th33/1
-
Result10th40/1

TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase odds
This year’s TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase field is set to be a competitive one and the dominant figure in the betting is Crebilly for Jonjo O’Neill, who was last seen winning a three-runner event at Exeter and looks one that could continue to improve in this Cheltenham day three event.
Madara, Letsbeclearboutit and Theatre Man are another notable trio of runners that feature prominently in the betting and could take their chance in a betting heat that will take shape nearer the race.
TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase Odds and Entries 2024
Plenty of horses go into this year’s TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase with live chances. So Scottish, who was favourite for the race a year ago, is in with a chance once again, but with novices such as Crebilly and Letsbeclearaboutit potentially in the mix, things could be harder on those with marks which are more exposed.
Betting on the Festival Plate
The Festival Plate had been regarded as one of the trickiest handicaps of Cheltenham week prior to a run of well-backed winners from 2018 to 2021. Long priced winners in the Festival Plate Handicap Chase betting were commonplace including Holmwood Legend (2011) at 25-1, Darna (2015) at 33-1 and Carrickboy (2013) at 50-1.
Well-backed winners The Storyteller (2018), Siruh Du Lac (2019), Simply The Betts (2020) and The Shunter (2021) turned the tide in the favour of punters. The sequence was halted in its tracks by 22-1 winner Coole Cody in 2022, reminding punters that a bet on the Festival Plate is not without its risks. Coole Cody was the first eleven-year-old to win since Mister McGoldrick in 2008, while Seddon recorded another win for the outsiders when scoring at 20/1 last season for John McConnell.
David Pipe trained the winner three times in a five-year period between 2010 and 2014. Danny Cook scored on Great Endeavour (2010) before Tom Scudamore partnered Salut Flo (2012) and Ballynagour (2014) to victory. The last ten winners have all been for different trainers, illustrating the competitive nature of this event. Emmet Mullins won it with the well-backed favourite The Shunter in 2021 and he trains the ante-post favourite So Scottish, runner-up at Ascot in November.
Festival Plate News
This year’s Plate Handicap Chase looks like a minefield for punters, with many horses potentially lurking on handicap marks that seriously underestimate their ability.
With such a large field, many punters will look to back a couple of runners each-way in the hope of landing the winner of one of the most competitive handicaps of the entire Cheltenham Festival.