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).