I'm covering everything you need to know about the Northumberland Plate Festival, from the latest betting offers and expert tips, to the meeting's rich history. If you’re planning to bet on Northumberland Plate Day, you'll find all the key information right here.
- 1 Northumberland Plate Festival Tips
- 2 Northumberland Plate Betting Offers
- 3 Best Betting Sites for Northumberland Plate Betting
- 4 About the Northumberland Plate Festival
- 5 Key Northumberland Plate Festival Betting Insights
- 6 History of the Northumberland Plate
- 7 Other Important Race Meetings
- 8 Northumberland Plate Betting FAQs
Northumberland Plate Festival Tips
Northumberland Plate predictions get easier as the weekend draws nearer. Final declarations, trainer intentions, and jockey bookings are all key to final Northumberland Plate tips. You can see final expert tips in each of my horse racing betting previews. For now, here are some early selections for Newcastle’s biggest meeting.
Thursday – Gosden & Haggas the Men to Watch
John Gosden and William Haggas, two top-class Newmarket handlers, have entries at Newcastle on Thursday and must be watched closely.
In the one-mile, two-furlong handicap (3:12), Jolly Jack Tar looks good. The Gosden horse has won twice on the all-weather and looks well handicapped. The form of his Chelmsford win last summer reads well, as long as he’s ready after a long break.
William Haggas’ Eternal Force is a good alternative. He hasn’t raced on the all-weather yet, but this is a fair track and shouldn’t cause him any problems. After finishing last season very well, Eternal Force was sent to the Lincoln in March, finishing a decent seventh. He was well fancied to win at Hamilton but was just denied, but he needs a stronger pace to aim at which he should get here.
The big race of the day is the Seaton Delaval Handicap (3:47). Back In Black (James Fanshawe), is still generally progressive and when he runs on turf, he performs best when he can get his toe in. The Tapeta may suit him well. Ralph Beckett’s El Matador is an interesting alternative.
Friday – Buick on the Spot
Former champion jockey William Buick is jocked up on Friday night at Gosforth Park. Watch his mounts carefully.
Though this is labelled as Gosforth Park Cup night, the biggest race in fact is the Hoppings Stakes (6:52) at Group 3 level. You can see the Hoppings from the grandstands at Newcastle – the largest funfair in Europe which takes place in the distance on the Town Moor.
Diamond Rain won the race last year for Buick and Charlie Appleby. She went on to run very well in Grade 1 company in North America, and she’s back to have another go at the Hoppings having hated the slow pace at York in May. She’ll be tough to beat.
Buick is also on hand to ride Binmalk in the novice race at 5:43, while in the featured sprint, the Gosforth Park Cup at 7:28, Ed Bethell's Corolla Point should take a lot of beating. The Tapeta surface should really suit him.
Saturday – Northumberland Plate Horse Racing Tips
The Northumberland Plate Handicap (3:15) is one of the biggest betting races of the year. Run over two miles, it’s competitive, takes a lot of stamina, and comes with a ton of history.
I’m gutted not to see York winner Klassleader in the race anymore. It seems that William Haggas may send him straight to the Ebor Handicap in August.
The Plate is notorious for being difficult to win as a four-year-old. There are some well fancied horses in that age group, but there is a lot to like about Brian Ellison's French recruit Saint Etienne. Clearly well handicapped having dropped from a mark of 100 to 92, he has been prepped specifically for this race and is priced very nicely.
In the Chipchase Stakes at 2:10, we should see a classy field of six-furlong sprinters. Diligent Harry won it last year, but it was a narrow win, and this could be a deeper field. Marvelman put up a big performance on the turf last year at Doncaster for Andrew Balding, while Noble Champion is classy but may want things faster.
William Buick’s primary reason for remaining on Tyneside for Saturday is to ride Symbol Of Honour. True, he was out of form during the Dubai Carnival, but he’s rested up now and has a July Cup entry next month. Symbol Of Honour was sent off at only 4/1 for that Group 1 race last year, and there’s a serious horse in there somewhere.
A full preview will be abailable on my regular Saturday horse racing tips page.
Northumberland Plate Betting Offers
Some of our best bookies offer free bets upon sign up, which can be used for Northumberland Plate betting. These welcome offers are typically available to new customers and can provide extra value when backing runners during the meeting at Newcastle.
Depending on the bookmaker, promotions may include free bets, bet credits, or enhanced odds on selected horse racing markets. Below, I've listed some of the best bookmakers for Northumberland Plate betting.
Best Betting Sites for Northumberland Plate Betting
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Founded:
2003
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
100% up to £50 Welcome Bonus 18+ New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Deposit used 1st. Odds, bet & payment limits. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1967
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(7):
Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets 18+. New customers only. Register, deposit with a Debit Card, and place a first bet of £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports, to be settled within 7 days, to get £30 in Sports Free Bets and £20 in Acca Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £20,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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|
Founded:
1946
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(5):
Horse Racing: Bet £10 Get £30 18+ New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 or more on any Horse Racing market at minimum 1/1 odds within 7 days of registration. No cash out. Get £30 in Free Horse Racing Bets, selected markets. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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|
Founded:
1994
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(4):
Bet £10 Get £20 18+, New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1999
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Lucky Double Odds 18+. Double Odds for 1 winner only on L15, L31 or L63. No bonus applies for 2 or more winners. All selections must run for double winner bonus to apply. Any NR will mean the bonus will not apply. No max price or max bonus to apply. Available on Horse Racing and Greyhounds only. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £1.00
Max. withdrawal: £25,000
Min. deposit: £1
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
2015
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of deposit. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas & 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections each). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis, Ineligible Markets & Odds Boosts. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
2012
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New customers: Deposit £10+ within 7 days and place a sports bet. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports Bet). Valid 7 days. Min odds apply. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £35,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1934
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+. Play Safe. Online only. Ends 31.12.26. New UK customers only, registering with promo code R30. Make your first deposit of £10+, then place a £10 single bet from main balance at odds of 1/2+ on any sports market (excluding Virtuals). Get £30 in Free Bets (3x£10) after settlement. Free Bets valid on any sports market excl. Virtuals, expire in 7 days, non-withdrawable and must be used in full (£10 each). Deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay and WH PLUS Card excluded. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
|
Founded:
1926
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(8):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK + ROI customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £/€5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stakes not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £250,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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About the Northumberland Plate Festival
The Northumberland Plate Festival is Newcastle Racecourse's premier racing event, attracting thousands of racegoers across three days of competitive action and entertainment. The racing is high quality, featuring the Plate itself (a heritage handicap), and two races at Group 3 level.
The Northumberland Plate at Newcastle is the main feature, but the meeting starts on the last Thursday in June, building towards the famous and historic main race on Saturday. The Northumberland Plate schedule is highlighted by the big race, as well as the Hoppings Stakes, the Gosforth Park Cup, the Chipchase, and the Seaton Delaval Handicap.
Seaton Delaval Trophy Day – Thursday
Seven races are planned as standard on the opening day. The feature race is the Seaton Delaval Handicap, a class 2 event run over the mile. Horses with ratings up to 105 are allowed in this race, making it a high-quality midweek event.
Gosforth Park Cup Night – Friday
The five-furlong Gosforth Park Cup remains the titular race on Friday night, but it’s no longer the highest quality event. Now, the Group 3 Hoppings Stakes has the strongest line-up, a one-and-a-quarter-mile race for the fillies and mares. The Hoppings has been won by horses who have gone on to Group 1 glory later on.
Northumberland Plate Day – Saturday
The Northumberland Plate racecard is stacked, as you can imagine. The main event is so oversubscribed, that a consolation race is run on the same day – the Northumberland Vase. As well as this, a competitive six-furlong handicap, formerly known as the Northern Sprint, remains popular, as well as the final Group 3 of the meeting, the Chipchase Stakes.
The Chipchase has also been won by subsequent Group 1 winners, while the Northumberland Plate remains the richest two-mile handicap in Europe, and one of the biggest betting races of the year in Britain.
Northumberland Plate Prize Money
The Northumberland Plate is worth £150,000 in total prize money. The winner receives just over £77,000 of that. Plate Day in total is worth £467,000, and across the meeting, the total purse is £790,000.
Key Northumberland Plate Festival Betting Insights
On a personal level, I’ve been betting on races at Newcastle Racecourse for as long as I care to remember. Even after they removed the turf course in favour of an all-weather track, another 10 years have passed and there’s lots of data and history that helps to predict the future.
The Tapeta Surface
Not all turf horses will struggle on synthetic, “all-weather” tracks. However, not all all-weather horses handle Newcastle. Down at Chelmsford, Lingfield, and Kempton, the courses are versions of Polytrack, which rides a little quicker.
Tapeta, used at Newcastle, Southwell, and Wolverhampton, can ride differently. Although when you walk across it, it seems light, the Tapeta actually takes some getting through. Times can be slow, and that sometimes leads to lower ratings, but you can upgrade them most of the time because a slow time at Newcastle doesn’t necessarily mean a bad performance.
The Weather
Yeah, watch the weather for racing at an all-weather track! Tapeta is not sand, but it behaves similarly when it comes to atmospheric conditions. On the turf, when it’s warm and dry, times are faster as the ground becomes firm. The opposite is true on both dirt tracks and synthetic tracks.
If the rain arrives, the track will tighten up somewhat and can ride faster. When it’s very hot, the surface loosens up and becomes tougher to get through. Just think of the difference between running on wet, compacted sand, to wading through dry sand on the beach. When the going is slow, you need a horse with proven stamina.
The Stiff Course
We see a similar effect at Ascot, Newmarket, Sandown, and Cheltenham. Newcastle is what we call a “stiff” track. There are sweeping bends, a long straight, and a demanding uphill finish. That means the speedier types cannot nip ahead round a bend, then just use pace to see things out up a short straight.
Northumberland Plate runners particularly need to see out every yard of the extended two miles, but it’s the same across all distances.
Draw Bias
Well, in fact, when it comes to the Northumberland Plate draw, there is no bias. Don’t worry about it. On the straight course, if the stalls are in the centre, there is little bias either, other than perhaps for horses drawn out on the wing, for example in stall one, who can get a bit lonely.
The Travelling Factor
When it comes to the biggest meeting of all at Newcastle, fields are no longer made up of runners from the north-east, Yorkshire, and southern Scotland. Yards from Newmarket, Lambourn, and other major training centres will be getting involved.
Watch out for the longest travelling horses, especially when they come from major yards. Northumberland Plate entries are very varied in that regard.
Jockey Bookings
Jockeys who ride Newcastle a lot know what it takes to win there. Experienced northern-based jockeys such as Paul Mulrennan and PJ McDonald know how to get the job done, and so are in demand across Plate weekend.
That said, this is the chance for some trainers to book top-flight jockeys who usually don’t travel to Newcastle. Riders such as Oisin Murphy, William Buick, and Tom Marquand will be very much in demand, and their agents will expect to book them onto horses with a serious winning chance.
History of the Northumberland Plate
A version of this race actually began as far back as 1623 in nearby Killingworth. Northumberland Plate history as we know it however goes back to 1833, when the race was run on the Town Moor in the shadow of what is now the heavily populated Newcastle city centre.
The Plate quickly became one of the most popular events in the entire region, attracting thousands of visitors. Its pull was so huge, that the Hoppings, a large-scale fair, was established on the Moor as an alternative attraction for those not wishing to see the race.
The Hoppings, even now, remains in place on the Town Moor for one week each year, while the Plate moved up to its current location in High Gosforth Park, the site of Newcastle Racecourse.
Originally run on a Wednesday, the Northumberland Plate became very popular with the region’s mine workers and was colloquially known as the “Pitmen’s Derby”. Trust me, we all hate that phrase now. Time has moved on!
More recently, the Northumberland Plate weekend has evolved into a three-day festival. Additional races and prize money have helped to attract large crowds and big TV audiences. In 2016, the race became an all-weather affair for the first time after the Flat turf track was ripped up at Newcastle, something that hasn’t affected the race’s popularity at all.
Recent Northumberland Plate Winners
These are the last 10 Northumberland Plate winners. Take note of any patterns you may spot.
| Year | Winner | Trainer (location) | Jockey | Rating | Weight (st, lbs) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Spirit Mixer | Andrew Balding (Hampshire) | Rob Hornby | 89 | 8-10 | 25/1 |
| 2024 | Onesmoothoperator | Brian Ellison (North Yorkshire) | Connor Beasley | 93 | 8-9 | 12/1 |
| 2023 | Calling The Wind | Richard Hughes (Berkshire) | Neil Callan | 99 | 9-4 | 14/1 |
| 2022 | Trueshan | Alan King (Wiltshire) | Hollie Doyle | 120 | 10-8 | 3/1 |
| 2021 | Nicholas T | Jim Goldie (Lanarkshire) | Ben Robinson | 96 | 8-10 | 33/1 |
| 2020 | Caravan Of Hope | Hugo Palmer (Newmarket) | Harry Bentley | 89 | 8-5 | 9/2 |
| 2019 | Who Dares Wins | Alan King (Wiltshire) | Tom Marquand | 101 | 9-1 | 12/1 |
| 2018 | Withhold | Roger Charlton (Wiltshire) | Robert Winston | 99 | 9-1 | 5/1 |
| 2017 | Higher Power | James Fanshawe (Newmarket) | Tom Queally | 107 | 9-9 | 11/2 |
| 2016 | Antiquarium | Charlie Appleby (Newmarket) | James McDonald | 99 | 9-5 | 16/1 |
Trueshan really was a freak to be winning this race off a Group 1 rating. The others tend to need to be rated between 89 and 101, with the weight they carry being far less important.
As for trainers, Brian Ellison, although based in North Yorkshire, is a Geordie and had been trying to win this race for years. Eight of the other nine plied their trade in the south of England, with that part of the world dominating Northumberland Plate results.
In terms of the final Northumberland Plate odds, there have been a couple of longshot winners since the Tapeta track was laid, but in general terms, these aren’t nightmarish horses to pick out. The form remains rock-solid.
Other Important Race Meetings
The Northumberland Plate Festival is a huge betting meeting, but it’s not the last of the season by any means. Still to come this year, among other highlights, are:
Northumberland Plate Betting FAQs
The Northumberland Plate is a historic handicap horse race run at Newcastle Racecourse. It is the highlight of the Northumberland Plate Festival and one of Britain's most prestigious staying handicaps.
The meeting runs from Thursday 25 June 2026, to Saturday 27 June 2026. The Plate itself is run on Saturday.
The Northumberland Plate is run at Newcastle Racecourse in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2016, it has been contested on the track's Tapeta all-weather surface.
The best bookies for the Northumberland Plate are 10bet, Betfred, and William Hill.
The race is broadcast on ITV in the UK, and via live streaming with some of our best bookmakers.
Prize money for the Plate stands at £150,000, making it the richest two-mile handicap in Europe. The whole meeting is worth £790,000.
The total distance for the Plate is two miles and 56 yards. This will be labelled in racecards as two miles and half a furlong.
Yes, this is a major each-way betting race as it is so competitive. Some of our best horse racing bookmakers also offer extra places.