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 14th May 1778
Newmarket Challenge Whip over the Beacon Course 10st each
1. SHARK, brown horse owned by Mr Pigot
2. DORIMANT (4/7 fav), chestnut horse owned by Lord Ossory
PRETENDER, chestnut horse owned by Lord Abingdon (paid)

Wednesday 13th May 1778
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. BORDEAUX (4/6 fav), grey colt owned by Mr Douglas
2. FIRM (4/1), bay colt owned by Mr Vernon
3. STORMER, brown colt owned by Duke of Grafton
4. THIEFCATCHER, bay colt owned by Sir Charles Sedley
5. ENGINEER colt owned by Lord Grosvenor
6. VESTAL (3/1), roan filly owned by Sir John Moore
7. TILBURY, bay colt owned by Mr Robert Shafto
8. SQUIRREL colt owned by Lord Clermont

Thursday 14th May 1778
Second Subscription Purse of 100 Guineas, over the Beacon Course, for horses the property of Jockey Club Members, each horse to carry 8st 7lbs
1. MAGOG (6/4 fav), grey horse owned by Sir Thomas Gascoigne & Mr Stapleton
2. POTOOOOOOOO, chestnut horse owned by Lord Grosvenor
3. HERCULES, bay horse owned by Duke of Hamilton
4. CRITIC, bay horse owned by Lord Abingdon
5. MAGNET, bay horse owned by Duke of Grafton
6. PRINCE (5/2), bay horse owned by Mr Vernon
7. SLIM, bay horse owned by Lord March
8. WAFER, bay gelding owned by Mr Compton
9. PLANET, bay horse owned by Lord Ossory

The 1778 JOCKEY CLUB NEWMARKET CHALLENGE CUP was not contested