The Jockey Club Plate, not to be confused with the Newmarket Town Plate which was first run on the Round Course in 1666, was restricted to Jockey Club Members and run at Newmarket annually. The earliest record of a Jockey Club Plate was in 1753 when two were staged two days apart. The first, for 4-year-olds, was run on the Round Course on Tuesday 15th May 1753 and won by Beau Clincher owned by Lord Gower, while 2 days later a second subscription Plate for 100 Guineas was contested on Thursday 17th May 1753 and was won by Crab owned by Captain Vernon. In 1764 the Jockey Club introduced the Newmarket Challenge Whip restricted to Jockey Club Members, a race run over the Beacon Course with each horse carrying 10 stone. The prize was a Whip, which contains hairs from the tail of the famous racehorse Eclipse, given to the Jockey Club by King Charles II. In 1768 the inaugural running of the Jockey Club Newmarket Challenge Cup , designed by Abraham Portal, took place over the Beacon Course and was restricted to Jockey Club Members. The 4 races provide vital evidence confirming membership of the Jockey Club.

Thursday 7th April 1768
Newmarket Challenge Whip over the Beacon Course 10st each
1. MALTON, bay horse owned by Lord Rockingham
2. CARDINAL PUFF, grey horse owned by Lord Grosvenor

Tuesday 26th April 1768
Subscription Purse of 100 Guineas over 4 miles of the Round Course for 4-year-olds the property of Jockey Club Members, each horse to carry 8st
1. VISION, chestnut colt owned by the Duke of Ancaster
2. CATO, brown colt owned by Mr William Croft
3. BLANK, chestnut colt owned by the Duke of Northumberland
4. SYREN, grey filly owned by the Duke of Kingston
5. SANCHO, chestnut colt owned by Lord Bolingbroke
6. LUMBAGE, chestnut colt owned by the Duke of Grafton

Thursday 28th April 1768
Second Subscription Purse of 100 Guineas, over the Beacon Course, for horses the property of Jockey Club Members, each horse to carry 9st
1. BAY MALTON (1/5 fav) bay horse owned by Lord Rockingham
2. ASKHAM. Brown horse owned by Sir James Lowther

Tuesday 4th October 1768
JOCKEY CLUB NEWMARKET CHALLENGE CUP
A Sweepstake of 200 Guineas each, Play or Pay, run over the Beacon Course with weights as prescribed at the Jockey Club Meeting on 5th October 1768
1. MARQUIS (4/5 fav), aged bay horse owned by Mr Vernon
2. BELLARIO, bay horse owned by Sir Charles Bunbury
3. PACOLET, grey horse owned by Lord Grosvenor
4. PILGRIM, black horse owned by Marquis of Rockingham
Subscribed, but did not run, Lord Molyneux