Here you'll find football card betting tips from our expert football analyst, Liam Johnson. All of the card & booking points tips published here on WhichBookie are 100% free.
Date published: March 14, 2026
Tuesday 10th March 16:40
Here are our Festival Plate Handicap Chase tips from our expert horse racing analysts Will Smith and David Young. Be sure to take a look at our other Cheltenham betting tips for each race and a list of the latest Cheltenham betting offers which show you which bookies are offering free bets, best odds guaranteed, extra places and much more on the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
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| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Zurich | 11/1 | EW 5 Places Plate Handicap Chase |
Place Bet |
 |
Madara | 9/2 | EW 5 Places Plate Handicap Chase |
Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 08/03/2026
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (08:00 08/03/2026) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
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Donnacha, the original ante-post fancy for the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase at 4.40 on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, was unfortunately not confirmed but again it highlights the beauty of NRMB.
Having gone through the race in greater depth and seeing the final field that has been declared, it strikes me that it’s a renewal high on numbers, but low on potentially progressive or horses well-suited to the track/trip/ground or a combination of all.
Madara will rightly be popular with many, after a preparation that has been garnered around teeing him up for this race, akin to so many of Dan Skelton’s horses this season, but I’ve always just had it slightly in mind that he might not see out 2m4f as strongly as could be required.
McLaurey is clearly another horse plotted towards the Cheltenham Festival, but he was disappointing at the meeting last year and if you dig deep enough, maybe does his form show a tendency to favour flatter tracks?
So, for a trainer who absolutely will have every one of his horses in tip top order for this meeting, as he always does year in year out, Zurich is a 1-star * recommendation at 11/1 each-way with Ladbrokes or Coral for 5 places.
He was a winner of a course and distance novices’ handicap chase back in October in a notably fast time compared to other supposedly better races over fences on that card, and it was notable how easily he travelled and jumped off that strong tempo.
Given the race is chock full of exposed types, Zurich would look to be one of just a small handful who should be sharply progressive, and when you combine that with his already first-class showing under these conditions, it makes for a potent mix for that man Henry De Bromhead.
Much was made of the ride on MADARA last time out where Harry Skelton didn’t seem to go hammer and tong between the last few flights. The horse didn’t jump like he had loads more to be asked for but did clinch second in the finish.
It was an improved effort though than his seasonal comeback which was his first run in over a year after finishing second by a length in the December Gold Cup. That was on the new course and his only win here was also on the new course so there definitely could be something in that, but he wasn’t as bad on stable debut in the Paddy Power Gold Cup the November on the Old Course prior to his December Gold Cup defeat.
A mark of 140 wouldn’t look a complete gift but his two best runs for this new yard have been with RPR’s more than that OR and they’ve probably not scratched the surface of what improvement they might have brought about in him, so his market position is justified.
MADARA – 1 STAR EW @ 9/2 (5 places 1/5)
The Festival Plate Handicap Chase is one of the most competitive handicap chases at Cheltenham and takes place towards the end of Day 1.
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Take a look at the offers, click through to a bookie, and place a bet to meet the qualifying criteria to claim the free bets.
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| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Madara | 9/2 |
| Mclaurey | 9/2 |
| Will The Wise | 14/1 |
| Downmexicoway | 14/1 |
| Beckett Rock | 16/1 |
| Down Memory Lane | 16/1 |
| Booster Bob | 20/1 |
| Zurich | 20/1 |
| Quebecois | 20/1 |
| No Questions Asked | 20/1 |
| Ryan's Rocket | 20/1 |
| O'moore Park | 25/1 |
| King Of Kingsfield | 25/1 |
| Dee Capo | 25/1 |
| Blaze The Way | 25/1 |
| Guard Your Dreams | 25/1 |
| Jour D'Evasion | 25/1 |
| Peaky Boy | 25/1 |
| Relieved Of Duties | 25/1 |
| The Doyen Chief | 25/1 |
| Theatre Native | 25/1 |
| Where's My Jet | 25/1 |
| Jipcot | 25/1 |
| Il Ridoto | 33/1 |
| Croke Park | 33/1 |
| Hgranca De Thaix | 33/1 |
| Master Chewy | 33/1 |
| Riskintheground | 40/1 |
| Boombawn | 40/1 |
| Jungle Boogie | 40/1 |
| Petit Tonnerre | 40/1 |
| Funambule Sivola | 50/1 |
| Midnight It Is | 50/1 |
| Martator | 50/1 |
| Western Zephyr | 50/1 |
| Grandeur D'Ame | 66/1 |
| Moon D'Orange | 66/1 |
| Yes Indeed | 66/1 |
| Embittered | 100/1 |
| Festival Plate Handicap Chase | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Distance | Type |
| Tues 10/03/2026 | 16:40 | 2m 4f 127y | Chase |
The Festival Plate Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase that takes place on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival.
The race is run over a distance of 2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards (4,124 metres) and features 17 fences. It is open to horses aged five years or older and is contested by some of the top chasers in the sport.
The race was first run in 1951 and was initially called the Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase, named after a former Chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse. It was renamed in honour of jockey Freddie Williams in 1974. Williams was a successful jockey and trainer who won many races over fences and hurdles, including the Grand National in 1956. It has since undergone several name changes due to sponsorship agreements.
Over the years, the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase has been won by some of the most talented and famous horses in the sport and recent winners of the race include The Shunter in 2021 and Coole Cody in 2022.
The Festival Plate is always one of the more unpredictable handicaps at Cheltenham, and it’s a race where Will Smith and Dave Young often find angles the market hasn’t fully reacted to. With so many seasoned chasers and improving types lining up, there’s usually space to uncover a runner who’s better than its recent form might suggest.
Race-day selections tend to be particularly insightful for the Plate, as the final field can reveal how the pace is likely to develop and which horses are best suited to a strongly-run contest over this intermediate trip. Will and Dave put a lot of emphasis on jumping reliability and how well a horse handles this sort of competitive handicap environment.
Along with daily singles, you may want to take a look at our Placepot tips which will be available throughout the Cheltenham Festival. Enhanced pots can make an already fun and attractive bet even more enticing.
Ante-post picks aren’t out of the question either. If either analyst thinks a chaser is still on a workable mark or has been shaping better than the results show, they won’t hesitate to put it up early, especially if the market hasn’t caught on yet.
One of their 2026 Plate fancies may also crop up in Will Smith’s EW Lucky 15 during Cheltenham week. His Lucky 15s have built a loyal following thanks to consistent profit, and the Plate has supplied some memorable winners at decent prices.
The Plate has tended to be won by lightly raced chasers rather than exposed types. Eleven of the last twelve winners had no more than twelve previous chase starts, and all of the last eleven winners had already won during the season. Course form has also been important, with the last seven winners having recorded a Cheltenham win earlier in the campaign.
Ratings have been consistent, with the last twelve winners all rated between 139 and 149. Novices and second-season chasers have fared particularly well, accounting for eight of the last ten winners, while only one winner this century had been favourite on their previous start.
The TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase is run over 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 44 yards.
It is a Premier Handicap Chase for horses rated below the top Grade 1 level.
Yes, it takes place on the Old Course at Cheltenham.
Yes, the competitive nature of the race and strong pace place pressure on horses’ jumping.
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Here you'll find football card betting tips from our expert football analyst, Liam Johnson. All of the card & booking points tips published here on WhichBookie are 100% free.
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