Northumberland Plate - help me out here

I don't know what help you require, but you do know you get money back if the horses don't make the cut for the race?
Apologies if that's not what you meant

I was referring to the final decs, 48 or 24 hours whichever it is, not the 5 day decs... As the point where you get your money back
And there's no real point in withdrawing your horse at the 5 day stage even if you think it's unlikely to make the final cut... As an owner you'd lose the entry fees plus any bets you'd placed, instead of just waiting a few days

Not an apologist for the bookies, but I suppose they've got to include all the horses... I would imagine the overround would be 200 or 300 % at this stage

Fair enough chaps. Point made, but I was also just trying to spark a bit of debate about the Plate. It’s got pelters on here in the past, but for us that live up here, it’s big deal.

He won at Ascot off 88, so isn't there a penalty?

Agree with you Reg, as regards the over round, but at this point in time i.e before the 5 day decs, I think there is value to be found.  For example, for  the life of me, I cannot fathom how Alphonse Me Grand is between 7 and 8/1 to win, his claim to game being a in in a division of the ,Chester plate.  Only rated now 10lb higher over hurdles.  Keep him for handicap hurdles at home with that rating.  Must be 8/1 to get fun here.  Pledgeofalliance is another one, coming from Royal Ascot, like several others.  They don't come back from there within a short space of time nice and fresh.  If Tashkan stands his ground with his rating of 111, it will be goodnight Vienna to a lot of the lower rated.  At this point in time, my 2 against the field are Spartan Army (21 on here) and Zoffee.  The latter won this race's consolation 2 years ago and won this year's Chester cup, he comes here only 4lb higher and could well have been kept fresh for this by his trainer.  The case for Spartan Army is that his form ties in with Prydwen.  That horse has gone up 13lb since they met earlier this year and ran in Thursday's Ascot gold cup (well beaten in Group 1 company there).
Those are my thoughts at this moment and I'd be glad to read your thoughts and the best of luck to anyone holding ante post slips on Alphonse Le Grand and that you will at least have your money returned when he is allotted out.

thought there was usually a 2 week gap between plate and ascot

Well done all that found last year's winner.  Having said that, I have gone back to the 2014 season to find that he is the only winner that came here straight from Royal Ascot.  Don't know if a 10% won strike rate statistic is good or bad.