Ben Brookhouse insisted that Brechin Castle was the best of his string by a ‘long way’ after supplying the fledgling trainer with his first Cheltenham success when carrying his dad Roger Brookhouse’s silks to glory in the Turners Open National Flat Race, the concluding contest of The November Meeting.

The Newmarket handler watched on with delight after the Shantou gelding stormed to victory in the Listed prize in his father’s blue and pink silks, which the likes of Western Warhorse (2014 Arkle) and Summerville Boy (2018 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle) have carried to Cheltenham Festival glory. 

Although running off a slightly true line late on the 9-4 Favourite, who made a winning debut under Rules at Sedgefield last time out, was kept up to the task by Jack Quinlan during the closing stages of the extended two-mile contest to defeat Fire Flyer by two and a quarter lengths. 

Brookhouse said: “I wanted to run him over hurdles as I wanted to run him in the Persian War first time out but dad wanted to run him in bumpers. 

“He is very professional, and he is a dude. He has been well educated and at the end of it today he has been well ridden. 

“Dad loves Cheltenham and to get a winner here for him is great. We will be running a lot of horses for him here hopefully, but this lad is the best of them by a long way.”

A date at Ascot next month could be next on the agenda for Brechin Castle ahead of a possible trip to the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February. 

He said: “Unfortunately with the new rules you can only run in three of them (bumpers), plus championship races. 

“We discussed about possibly taking him to Leopardstown in February (for the Dublin Racing Festival). 

“He might go to Ascot in December next then on to Leopardstown before Punchestown. If he goes to Punchestown he won’t go to Aintree and he might turn up here for the Champion Bumper so he has lots of options. He is a very nice horse.”