Festival Plate Odds, Tips, Free Bets & Betting Offers
Updated: January 30, 2026 at 12:08 pm GMT+0
Fact Checked by
Craig Jones
Craig Jones
Better known by its former title, the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup, this two-mile four-and-a-half-furlong race is a valuable handicap chase with £120,000 prize money.
The Festival Plate is always a hotly contested race, with some big-priced winners in recent years, showing the kind of test that punters face here trying to find the winner.
Cheltenham Free Bets
The Cheltenham Festival is here, a huge horse racing event that we give plenty of focus to. Our dedicated page showcases the latest free bets and betting offers Cheltenham Festival throughout the week.
Betfred at Cheltenham
Betfred have an excellent horse racing reputation, and have fantastic offers to match. Want to know everything they offer? Check out our dedicated page for all things Cheltenham at Betfred.
Read on for Festival Plate betting odds, tips, and Cheltenham free bets for the 2026 race.
| Race Details | |
|---|---|
| When: | Tuesday, March 10th - 4:40pm |
| Winner’s Prize: | £67,524 |
| Distance: | Two-miles & four-furlongs |
| Race Type: | Grade 3 Chase |
| Age: | 5-Years+ |
| Course: | New Course |
| Weights: | Handicap |
| Where to Watch? | ITV Racing, Racing TV, Bookmaker Streams |
Festival Plate Betting Offers & Free Bets
This race comes towards the end of the first day at the Cheltenham Festival and below we've got some great free bets that are still available to use at the meeting.
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Key Terms: 18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply 18+. UK/IRE online. 9 Feb-8 Mar. Place & settle £/€10+ bets, min odds 1/1 on selected sports. Bet 4 days weekly to earn £/€5 Cheltenham Free Bet (FB). 5 days = £/€5 Cheltenham FB + £/€5 FB next week (NW). 6 days = £/€5 Cheltenham FB + £/€10 FB NW. 7 days = £/€5 Cheltenham FB + win a share of the £/€10k weekly jackpot (paid as cash NW). Cheltenham FBs credited 10-13 Mar, expire 13 Mar at 23:59. Free/void/cashed-out bets don’t qual. Account/bet type/settlement/payment restrictions apply. T&Cs Apply
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Festival Plate Betting Odds
A fiercely competitive heat, we've got the latest odds from betting sites for the Festival Plate below.
Festival Plate Tips
Check back nearer the time for our Festival Plate tips.
However, we have daily horse racing tips courtesy of our top tipping team, Charlie McCann and Alan Kelly - click on their links below.
Charlie McCann Tips
Get exclusive daily horse racing tips from Charlie McCann here at Freebets.
Alan Kelly Tips
Get exclusive selections from Alan Kelly on daily horse racing here at Freebets.
What Happened in 2025?
The 2025 winner came for JP McManus, as Jagwar found a way through the pack to claim victory.
Festival Plate Key Stats
- Just five of the last 14 winners of this race have been from Ireland
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least one win over hurdles
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least three runs that season
Previous Winners of the Festival Plate
Check out the last five winners of the Festival Plate in the table below.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Jagwar |
| 2024 | Shakem Up'Arry |
| 2023 | Seddon |
| 2022 | Coole Cody |
| 2021 | The Shunter |
FAQs
When is the Festival Plate?
The Festival Plate is the sixth race on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival - this year, on Tuesday, March 10th.
What distance is the Festival Plate run over?
The Festival Plate is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs, with 17 fences jumped.
More Cheltenham Tips
Check out our tips for all the other Cheltenham Day 3 races:
