AIDAN Howard worked his magic on the J.P. McManus-owned Winter Escape last season, with the then seven-year-old quickly scaling the heights of the novice chase division.
Howard took over the care of Winter Escape from the Philip Hobbs stable and revitalised the horse after his form had tailed off across the Irish Sea. Charli Parcs is another gelding that fits a similar profile, and has now come to Howard’s Curragh-based yard from Nicky Henderson and runs for his new stable at Leopardstown (3.05).
A high-class juvenile hurdler, Charlie Parcs was subject of rave reviews from Henderson prior to the the Triumph Hurdle won by Defi Du Seuil. He then failed to show reach the heights expected of him but did give glimpses of his ability.
If Howard can work his magic on this gelding like he did with Winter Escape who claimed the scalp of a number of top-class horses including A Plus Tard, then it would be no surprise to see Charli Parch put in a number of improved performances during the remainder of the season and into the summer months.
It will be interesting to see how he gets on tomorrow taking on the likes of Jetz and Mengli Khan.
Of the runners on the rest of the card that will sport the McManus silks, the eye is immediately drawn to the Tony Martin-trained Anibale Fly in the Grade B TRI Equestrian Handicap Chase (4.40).
Finishing fourth and fifth in the last two renewals of the Grand National, this should put him spot on for another tilt at racing’s biggest prize where he will race off a 2lb lower mark than he did last year.
Owner/rider David Maxwell has cut quite a divisive figure this season. The part-time amateur jockey rides all his own horses and remarkably has ridden 17 winners from just 49 rides this season, already two better than his total number of wins last year.
Maxwell only began riding in races just over 10 years ago, taking full advantage of racing’s accessibility, which at times has led to criticism from some quarters, suggesting he shouldn’t be allowed ride in professional races.
Racing’s accessibility is something that should be cherished and celebrated and that Maxwell has taken full advantage of it is a credit to him. As he said himself in a recent interview with The Telegraph: “There is no chance of you getting anywhere near the pitch at Old Trafford, or getting on a Derby horse, but this (racing) gives the amateur a chance to get close to the sport.”
And today could be the first step on a magical ladder to the biggest race of them all, the Grand National. Maxwell will ride the doubly declared Saint Xavier, at either Kelso for the William Hill-backed Listed Premier Chase (3:22) or in the 888Sport Grimthorpe Chase (3:35) at Doncaster.
The eight-year-old will be having his first run over fences since joining Paul Nicholls from France where he was a Grade 3 winner. He has been kept over hurdles, with connections perhaps keen to protect a mark of 150 for the National but if he wins today he will go to Aintree unpenalised and so with a live chance.
Nicholls has the favourite for the race in the shape of the unexposed Worthy Farm, whom Harry Cobden will ride and who has won his previous two races. He does not have a National entry but is in the Kim Muir and Midlands National next week.