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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.
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.
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.
Sporting Life Horse Racing
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
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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.
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.