Plate Handicap Chase 2026 Tips: Taking a trip Down Memory Lane?

The latest renewal of the Plate Handicap Chase looks absolutely wide open with 23 runners going to post and both the home contingent and the Irish challengers very well represented. 

It promises to be a great contest and could provide a winner for the home team. Read on for our Plate Handicap Tips.

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Skelton to fend off Elliott in fascinating clash

Dan Skelton has few peers when it comes to landing one of the big Cheltenham Festival handicaps and his Madara looks primed for a very bold showing in this ultra competitive handicap.

Madara is without a victory since February 2024 and has run four times for Skelton without getting his head in front.

But there’s little doubt that all those outings have been geared up to this race and now is the time for Madara to open his account for the top Skelton team.

The seven-year-old immediately caught the eye on his debut for Skelton when fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup here in 2024 and stepped up on that effort when runner-up in the December Gold Cup the following month.

That was the last we saw of Madara that season but he returned from 13 months off with a considerately-handled fifth at Wetherby. He then really caught the eye again when runner-up in a Kempton handicap chase last month. He was set a lot to do and came through well at the finish without troubling the winner.

Madara can race off an unchanged mark here and makes plenty of appeal at the weights, while Cheekpieces are refitted too.

Down Memory Lane to go close

Gordon Elliott has enjoyed a fine season and his Down Memory Lane is one to be interested in here too.

This eight-year-old looked destined for great things when making a sparkling winning debut over fences at Navan late in 2024 but it hasn’t been plain sailing since.

However, he looked back to his best when very confidently ridden to land the Foxrock Handicap at Navan in December and his fine record when fresh sees him firmly in the picture for this contest.

That latest Navan victory was just his second in a handicap and he rates a big threat to Skelton’s Madara.

As befits a handicap of this nature, there are several others who command plenty of respect, notably fellow Irish challengers Mclaurey and Zurich, while of the home runners, Jipcot looks to have more to offer and needs factoring in.

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