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Soldier can march to victory for in-form duo
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Recent Bangor outing can benefit selection
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Tap can turn on the style at Wincanton
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It proved to be a highly satisfactory weekend for David Killahena & Graeme McPherson with the training partnership celebrating a Grade 3 success for Marble Sands at Cheltenham, while Destination Dubai also shaped with plenty of encouragement in Friday's Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Sunday Soldier isn't up to that level, but she could still make her mark in this Class 4 affair with a recent outing at Bangor likely to have put her straight for this assignment.
The trip to north Wales represented the selection's second start over fences and, while she was far from extravagant at her fences, she didn't take liberties and should have stepped forward mentally and physically for her first start in five months, especially as she looked to tire markedly two fences from home.
She returns to the scene of one of her career best efforts here, with that fine second in a Listed Hurdle at the Midlands venue back in February fresh in the mind.
Admittedly, her position improved that day when You Wear It well crashed out at the final flight when holding an advantage and intefered with some of her rivals, but she stuck to her task doggedly in the straight and, if she can replicate that level here, a mark of 114 would appear lenient.
Back Sunday Soldier, E/W, in 14:55 Warwick
There was plenty to like about Tapley's return to fences at Wincanton and the eight-year-old has the opportunity to go one better in this winnable handicap.
The presence of recent Wetherby scorer Pep Talking should help to make the market for the selection who showed the benefit of a comeback outing at Plumpton to finish runner-up on Badger Beers day 12 days ago.
As a son of Geordieland, Tapley doesn't always find what you might expect off the bridle, the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May a case in point as he travelled like a dream that day but faded out of matters to finish sixth.
That was still a highly creditable performance and I'm not sure any of the grey's rivals here could have fared quite so well.
Isabelle Ryder got a good tune from Tapley last time and the combination has bright prospects of recording a first victory for connections since his hurdle win at Plumpton last October.
Back Tapley to Win 15:20 Wincanton