Paddy Power Plate betting is starting to take shape after the entries for this Grade 3 handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival were published.

Read on for our Paddy Power Plate tips before placing your bets at the best horse racing betting sites.

Paddy Power Plate Tips

• Back Imperial Alcazar to win the Paddy Power Plate - 17/2 with FansBet

Paddy Power Plate Runners in Focus

Here's an in-depth look at the leading contenders for the 2022 Paddy Power Plate.

Celebre on Track For The Plate

Paddy Power Plate betting lists are headed by Philip Hobbs’ progressive French recruit Celebre D’Allen, who is 3-3 since joining the Somerset trainer late in 2021.

Celebre D’Allen has won two hurdles and a two-and-a-half-mile chase at Warwick, in which he looked to have a fair bit more left in the tank to score by a cosy three-quarters of a length.

Hobbs confirmed after the Warwick victory that the Festival Plate (Paddy Power Plate for sponsorship reasons) was his target but he’s a 10-year-old now and horses of that age don’t have a great record in this race, which will be a concern for Festival Plate trends followers.

Read More: Get the best Cheltenham offers ahead of the 2022 Festival

2022 Paddy Power Plate Tip: Imperial Alcazar

Imperial Alcazar looks to have seriously compelling Paddy Power Plate claims after running away with a handicap chase over the same course and distance at Cheltenham in January.

The 10-length demolition job confirmed that this fast-improving novice chaser operates superbly around the New Course at Prestbury Park but the question now has to be whether he has shown his hand too early.

An 8lb hike for that route was arguably on the lenient side but it takes him to a mark of 152, which puts him above the ratings band of recent winners. The flip side of the coin is that was just his third start over fences, so it’s hard to believe that he’s reached his ceiling.

Trainer Fergal O’Brien has confirmed that the Plate is his target so this improver tops our Paddy Power Plate tips shortlist at a price of 17/2 with the best betting sites like FansBet.

Grand a Likely Type For Elliott

Grand Paradis has yet to win over fences (0-4) but that might not have been the case if he hadn't been broadsided by stablemate Floueur in a useful beginners’ chase at Fairyhouse in January.

Grand Paradis was a talented hurdler, winning at Grade 3 level in Ireland. Although his chasing career has taken some time to get going in the right direction, this unexposed six-year-old travelled like he was on great terms with himself and he appears to be coming to the boil ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.

Elliott won the Paddy Power Plate with The Storyteller in 2018 and Grand Paradis has the sort of upside that means he has to be considered on Paddy Power Plate tips shortlists.

Read More: Stayers' Hurdle Tips, Betting Preview & Trends

Paddy Power Plate Odds

• Odds correct as of 16/03/2022 - For full latest odds head over to 888sport

Paddy Power Plate Trends

• Novice domination: The last six winners of the Festival Plate were novices or second-season chasers.
• Ratings pointer: 2021 winner The Shunter became the eighth successive winner to have an official rating in the 140s.
• Weighty matters: Horses carrying big weights have struggled on the whole. Only four horses have carried more than 11st to victory this century and only one horse has carried more than 11st 4lb (Mister McGoldrick in 2008).
• Age range: The majority of Paddy Power Plate winners are aged between six and nine. Only one five-year-old has ever won it while no horse older than nine has been successful since 2011.
• No stamina doubts: All bar two Festival Plate winners this century ran over at least two-miles, three-furlongs on their previous outing.
• Avoid over-raced contenders: Horses that have run six times or more in a season prior to the festival are 0-66 in the Paddy Power Plate this century.

Recent Paddy Power Plate Winners

Paddy Power Plate Verdict

Grand Paradis is a very tempting proposition for the all-conquering Gordon Elliott team but it’s impossible to escape the claims of IMPERIAL ALCAZAR, whose demolition job over the Paddy Power Plate course and distance puts him on top of our Paddy Power Plate tips shortlist.

The handicapper could have been much more severe in his punishment and there could easily be an even bigger performance in this lightly-raced eight-year-old, given he’s only been over fences three times in his career. Versatile ground-wise, he could easily provide his trainer with a first Festival winner.

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