Cheltenham Byrne Group plate

Cheltenham Festival race guide – Byrne Group plate betting

Whether you are counting your winning returns after the success of Big Bucks or staring at your empty wallet – the Bryne Group Plate provides yet another chance to make some more profit from those bookies or in the worst case scenario a chance to recoup some of your losses! Ran over a distance over two miles and five furlongs and with seventeen flights of fences to be negotiated, this handicap steeplechase is a tough one to get right and previous market vibes have proved inconclusive with 66/1 and 33/1 winners arriving home first in both 2008 and 2009. 

The Byrne Group Plate has a habit of throwing up some big priced winners and Holmwood Legend continued that pattern last year with victory at 25-1. Divers, winner of the Centenary Novices’ at the Festival twelve months ago, tops the market for this race providing Ferdy Murphy and connections target this race. Crack Away Jack and Salut Flo are worth noting should they run in Plate.

Byrne Group plate odds

Handicap steeplechases always draw large fields and last year saw twenty-four horses five years or older waved on by the starter’s orders and we can expect a similar number contesting the 2011 renewal. A long list of runner’s means there will be ample chances to pick out the winner but it may be best to stay clear of the favourite, one hasn’t won since the 1980s. And it’s very difficult to iron out any reoccurring trends in this race as horses with a range of different ages have been successful although in the 2000s at least Venetia Williams has had two 8yos in the winning enclosure. The 2009 Grand National winning trainer with Mon Mome won this in 2007 and 2009 but can she keep this sequence going with another in 2011? Nicky Henderson is another like Venetia who has tasted Plate success on two occasions during the last decade so keep an eye out for runners from both yards.

Byrne Group plate Form

Analysing the form of runners in this race has proved fruitless in recent renewals but look for those horses that have had previous Cheltenham Festival experience and maybe those that have had a relatively light National Hunt racing season. The best horse in the race probably won’t win the 2011 Byrne Group Plate as past results have shown, so as a general rule of thumb look for those who have the necessary chasing attributes – jumping technique, good pace and stamina. They should all be firmly embedded in ones mindset.

Your guesses for this one are probably as good as mine – the top yards and stables always deserve respect and those are the horses to keep on your side. Look back at your picks form and if improvement is likely there is a good chance it may come in this race as the jumping season enters full swing.

Byrne Group plate betting verdict:

The clear favourite is Salut Flo for the David Pipe team, but he was disappointing when last seen at Cheltenham and must jump better if he is to justify market support. Michael Flips ran a superb race when finding only For Non Stop too good last time and can make his presence felt here. However, NOTUS DE LA TOUR who came up against the classy Flemenstar at Leopardstown latest can run a huge race at likely double figure odds.

1-  Notus De La Tour

2-  Micheal Flips

3-  Salut Flo

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