Can Cheltenham winner Brechin Castle extend his unbeaten record in red-hot Listed Ascot bumper?

Ben Brookhouse's Cheltenham Festival hope Brechin Castle will face his toughest assignment yet in Ascot's Listed bumper (3.40) on Friday.

Brechin Castle is a general 33-1 chance for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and the five-year-old already boasts winning form over the same course and distance as that Grade 1, having landed a 12-runner Listed event at Cheltenham last month.

The son of Shantou cost £165,000 after winning his point-to-point for Colin Bowe at Ballycrystal in February and made a successful debut for Brookhouse at Sedgefield in October.

Brechin Castle has to concede weight to all 13 of his rivals due to a 4lb penalty for his success in the same grade last time, but the Cheltenham form has a solid look to it with the runner-up, Fire Flyer, chasing home the unbeaten Gidleigh Park on his hurdling debut at Newbury on Wednesday.

"He came out of Cheltenham very nicely," said Brookhouse. "It wasn't an overly tough race for him, he did it quite comprehensively."

Ten of Brechin Castle's rivals won their previous start, including Captain Bellamy, who impressed at Chepstow despite being very green, while the fourth and seventh from that October contest have won over hurdles since.

Captain Bellamy's trainer Paul Nicholls has won the last two runnings of this bumper with Knappers Hill and Henri The Second and he saddles Marvellous Mick. Celtic Dino won over course and distance last month and, like Brechin Castle and seven others, bids to extend his unbeaten record.

"It seems that every National Hunt stable in the country is taking their nicest bumper horse, or what they think is their nicest bumper horse at this point," said Brookhouse of the red-hot Friday finale at the Berkshire venue.

"It was never going to be a walk in the park for him but it could be like that for him, we'll have to wait and see."

Spotlight comment

Point winner (yielding) who made it 2-2 in bumpers (both on soft) when winning a Listed race at Cheltenham last month; now carries a 4lb penalty against some very interesting rivals but has strong claims nevertheless.

Brechin Castle15:40 Ascot

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Jky: Jack Quinlan Tnr: B F Brookhouse

Brechin Castle is owned by Brookhouse's father Roger, who enjoyed Cheltenham Festival glory in 2014 with shock Arkle winner Western Warhorse and in the 2018 Supreme Novices' Hurdle with Summerville Boy.

Brechin Castle could prep for the Cheltenham Festival in the Listed Newbury bumper that Brookhouse won last season with Aslukgoes.

On Brechin Castle's ideal campaign after Ascot Brookhouse added: "A little holiday, just a couple of weeks off and then possibly Newbury in February in preparation for Cheltenham in March, and then also potentially Punchestown in April but we'll wait and see on that one.

"We're just taking it one race at a time. That's a lot of runs for a bumper horse but he loves what he does, he came back bouncing from Cheltenham.

"He's been very straightforward to train and we're just letting him do his thing. We're just along for the ride really."

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