Guide to Betting at Newcastle
Newcastle stages both Flat and National Hunt racing, with the biggest race of the year being the Northumberland Plate. The highlights of the year for jump racing fans are the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Eider Chase.
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There are around 60 race meetings during the year, making it one of the busiest racecourses in the country. You can make the most of your Newcastle betting by checking William Hill promotions for the latest Newcastle odds, special offers and price boosts.
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Betting at Newcastle – The Big Meetings
The Northumberland Plate is the feature race of a three-day meeting in June, which also features the Gosforth Park Cup and the Chipchase Stakes.
The Listed Burradon Stakes over 1m takes place at Easter. It was run as a qualifier for a place in the Kentucky Derby line-up in 2018.
The two biggest Newcastle betting races over jumps are the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Eider Chase. The Fighting Fifth Hurdle in November is a trial for the Champion Hurdle and is the only Grade 1 race staged at Newcastle.
The Newcastle odds for the Eider Chase in February often feature several Aintree Grand National entries.
Newcastle Betting – The Big Races
The first official running of the Northumberland Plate was won by Tomboy in 1833. It’s now one of the most valuable staying handicaps in the world, with around £150,000 in prize money.
The Plate always attracts a strong field with plenty of Newcastle tips in the build-up to the race.
The Northumberland Vase has recently been introduced as a consolation race for horses failing to make the cut for the Plate. The Group 3 6f Chipchase Stakes was first run in 1994.
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle was first run in 1969 and gets its title from the nickname of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
The 4m Eider Handicap Chase was established in 1952 and is one of the longest races in the National Hunt calendar. There are 25 fences to be jumped and the race usually takes place on soft or heavy ground.
Newcastle Betting Tips
There is no significant draw bias here but one Newcastle tip is to be wary of a high draw in the Northumberland Plate. Runners drawn wide in a large field concede a lot of ground to those racing on the inside. Horses that ran at Royal Ascot on their last start have a good record in the Plate.
Trainer Paul Cole won the Plate three times in five years between 1997 and 2001. Donald McCain also has a good record in the race, while Charlie Appleby won it for Godolphin with Antiquarium in 2016.
Some big Newcastle bets were landed in 2018 when Roger Charlton’s Withhold stormed clear to win as the 5-1 favourite.
Trainer Richard Fahey regularly features among Newcastle tips, while Mark Johnston and Jim Goldie also enjoy plenty of success in the north east. Newmarket trainer John Gosden has a good strike rate at the course.
Joe Fanning, Josephine Gordon and PJ McDonald are among the jockeys to follow on the flat at Newcastle.
Grand National-winning trainer Sue Smith has a good record with her chasers at this course. When looking at the Newcastle odds for the Eider Chase, it’s worth noting that horses aged nine years and upwards have a good recent record in the race.
Check news.williamhill.com for Newcastle tips, full race previews and the latest odds and market movers.
Newcastle Course Characteristics
The National Hunt course at Newcastle is a left-handed, galloping track with a steady uphill finish.
Stamina is a key factor when calculating your Newcastle bets. The long home straight can be very demanding, particularly in soft ground. The fences are tough but fair and it’s generally regarded as a suitable course for a novice.
The flat turf track was replaced by the floodlit all-weather surface in 2016 as part of an £11 million redevelopment. There’s a left-handed all-weather track and a straight mile where they race on Tapeta, the same surface that is used at Wolverhampton.
Newcastle Racecourse - How to get there
Newcastle Racecourse is at Gosforth Park near Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the north east of England. The course is clearly signposted from the A1 and A19 and all main approach roads to the city.
Newcastle Central Station is only 15 minutes from the racecourse. There’s a free bus shuttle service from Regent Centre and Four Lane Ends Metro on race days.
Newcastle Horse Racing History
Horse racing in the north east started in the early 17th Century. The inaugural Northumberland Plate was held at Town Moor in 1833 and was transferred to the current site in 1882.
The original racecourse at Gosforth Park featured a flat and steeplechase course with a Grandstand and stabling for 100 racehorses.
The Northumberland Plate used to be run on a Wednesday and was a traditional holiday for local miners. It has always been commonly referred to as “The Pitmens’ Derby” and was moved to a Saturday in 1952.
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The Northumberland Plate meeting is estimated to bring over £30million to the local economy and remains the top Newcastle betting race of the year. The first meeting on the new all-weather track was held on 17th May 2016.
Famous Newcastle Races and Racehorses
The Northumberland Plate attracts horses that compete regularly in races like the Ebor and staying handicaps at Royal Ascot. The race is often won by high-class handicappers who are good enough to compete in the Cup races.
There were plenty of Newcastle bets on Sergeant Cecil (2005), Overturn (2010) and Quest For More (2015), all very popular horses with the racing public.
The veteran sprinter Tedburrow won the Chipchase Stakes in 2000 and in 2002 for trainer Eric Alston. He was a 10-year-old when claiming his second victory, setting a new age record for the race.
Other notable winners include Fayr Jag (2006), Genki (2011) and Jack Dexter (2013).
The Burradon Stakes in 2018 was won by Gronkowski, a strong Newcastle tip who starting as a hot favourite. He was an intended runner in the Kentucky Derby, but missed the race due to a setback. He later finished runner-up to Triple Crown winner Justify in the Belmont Stakes.
Comedy Of Errors won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle for three consecutive seasons between 1972 and 1974. Other Champion Hurdle winners to win here include Night Nurse (1975), Sea Pigeon (1978, 1980) and Buveur D’Air (2017). Birds Nest never won the Champion Hurdle, but he was a very popular Newcastle tip, winning in 1976, 1977 and 1979.
Highland Wedding won the Eider Chase three times between 1966 and 1969. He won the Aintree Grand National at the third attempt in 1969. Comply or Die won the Eider in 2008 for David Pipe and went on to win at Aintree in the same season.
A guide to betting at Cheltenham
Cheltenham racecourse is regarded as the home of National Hunt racing and stages the prestigious Festival meeting. Cheltenham betting is available throughout the year on the top races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.
William Hill promotions often feature the best Cheltenham odds and ante-post prices. There are also special offers and price boosts on the Cheltenham Festival and the other top Cheltenham races during the winter.
Betting at Cheltenham – The Big Meetings
The Cheltenham Festival in March is the highlight of the National Hunt season, with over £4 million in prize money on offer over the four days. There are 28 championship races, with an estimated £300 million staked in Cheltenham bets during the week.
The October meeting is regarded by National Hunt fans as the start of the new winter jump racing season. The volume of Cheltenham betting increases for the three-day Open meeting in November with another top-class card in December.
Trials Day takes place in late January and always has an impact on Cheltenham odds for the Festival meeting.
Cheltenham Betting – The Big Races
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the Blue Riband event of National Hunt racing. It provides the ultimate test for chasers over 3m2f off level weights. Only the Aintree Grand National rivals the Gold Cup in terms of prestige.
The Champion Hurdle is the top prize for 2m hurdlers and The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the premier 2m steeplechase. The oldest surviving championship race is The Stayers Hurdle over 3m, which was first run in 1912.
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The Triumph Hurdle for four-year-olds traditionally opens the card on Gold Cup day. A top Cheltenham tip is to be wary of Triumph Hurdle winners contesting the Champion Hurdle the following year. They have an extremely poor record in the race.
The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 chase over 2m5f. 2m novice chasers compete for the Arkle Challenge Trophy, with the top 3m novices clashing in the RSA Chase.
Other big Cheltenham betting races include The BetVictor Gold Cup and December Gold Cup. The Greatwood Hurdle in November is the first big handicap hurdle of the season and the International Hurdle can influence Cheltenham odds for the Champion Hurdle.
Cheltenham Betting Tips
The Cheltenham Festival is the main objective for the best National Hunt horses throughout the season. Cheltenham tips for the Gold Cup should focus on horses aged between seven and nine. This age group have won a large majority of Gold Cup races in modern times.
When assessing the Cheltenham odds for the Champion Hurdle, it pays to concentrate on horses that won last time out. Horses which finished in the first four the previous year also do well statistically.
Nicky Henderson, Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott have dominated the trainers’ championship at Cheltenham in recent years. In 2018, Elliott equalled the record of eight winners at the meeting, set by Mullins in 2015. Ruby Walsh has won the jockeys’ title at the Festival more times than any other jockey.
Previous course form is a good pointer for Cheltenham betting tips, particularly in races like the December Gold Cup. There are only three races each season over the Cross Country track which greatly favours course specialists.
Visit news.williamhill.com for all the latest plans for runners and riders at the Cheltenham Festival and the latest Cheltenham odds.
Cheltenham Course Characteristics
Cheltenham is an undulating left-handed track with stiff fences and a testing uphill finish.
There are two separate courses; the New Course and the Old Course. The New Course has a notoriously tricky downhill fence and a slightly longer run-in for steeplechases. Cheltenham tips should certainly avoid suspect jumpers as this course takes a lot of jumping.
Hurdle races on the New Course have only two flights of hurdles in the last seven furlongs. The steep uphill finish puts the emphasis firmly on stamina in all Cheltenham races over 3m or more.
You should always look for horses with winning form over the distance when working out your Cheltenham bets. Races like the Gold Cup test a horse’s stamina to the limit, particularly on soft ground.
Cheltenham Racecourse - How to get there
The racecourse is situated at Prestbury Park, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The track is in a natural amphitheatre beneath the Cotswold Hills, with stunning views across the course.
Cheltenham is only two hours from London by car and one hour from Bristol and Birmingham. The course is clearly signposted at Junction 10 on the M5.
There is a shuttle bus for rail travellers arriving is Cheltenham Spa during the Festival meeting.
Cheltenham Horse Racing History
Prestbury Park became the established home of Cheltenham racecourse in 1831.
The National Hunt Festival meeting was first held at Market Harborough in 1860. It was later moved between Cheltenham and Warwick before settling at Cheltenham in 1911. The future of Cheltenham was secured in 1964 when it was purchased by Jockey Club Racecourses.
The Cross Country course was introduced in 1995, comprising a wide variety of fences for experienced chasers.
A £45 million development and expansion plan was completed in 2015, increasing the course capacity to 67,500 spectators. There are extensive Cheltenham betting facilities across all enclosures.
Famous Cheltenham Races and Racehorses
Golden Miller won the Cheltenham Gold Cup for five consecutive years between 1932 and 1936. Arkle won the race three times between 1964 and 1966 and is still widely regarded as the best chaser of all time.
Michael Dickinson achieved a remarkable feat when training the first five horses to finish in the 1983 Gold Cup. Dawn Run’s famous win in 1986 and the heroic victory of Desert Orchid in 1989 are among the most memorable Cheltenham races in history. Desert Orchid had a huge public following and regularly featured among Cheltenham Festival tips.
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In more recent times, Best Mate completed a hat-trick of Gold Cup wins from 2002 to 2004. Kauto Star created his own piece of Cheltenham history when regaining his title in 2009 after being defeated by Denman the previous year.
Five horses have won three Champion Hurdles, the most recent being Istabraq (1998 – 2000). Aidan O’Brien’s horse was the hot favourite in the Cheltenham odds for a record fourth win in 2001, but the meeting was abandoned due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
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Badsworth Boy (1983 – 1985) is the only horse to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase three times.
Big Buck’s dominated the Stayers Hurdle between 2009 and 2012 with four straight wins for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh. Quevega, trained by Willie Mullins, surpassed that achievement by winning the Mares’ Hurdle for six successive seasons (2009 – 2014).