File to make landmark start

Wymering File will break new ground as she lines up in Wednesday’s European Breeders’ Fund Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury.

The four-year-old will be the first Cypriot-trained runner to race in Britain as she represents Petros Petroutsios in the Listed heat over an extended nine furlongs.

The Medecis filly is a Triple Crown winner in Cyprus and has prevailed over trips from five furlongs to a mile and a half, with her latest victory coming over nine furlong at Markopoulou in Greece.

Wymering File will be having her first start on turf at Salisbury but Petroutsios is hoping for a bold show ahead of a possible run in the Dance Design Stakes at the Curragh later this month.

The trainer said: “She has been at Michael Grassick’s yard in Ireland under the supervision of my assistant. I have been directing her programme from here and she has been progressing quite well.

“She has only raced on dirt so her capabilities on turf are unknown. She is entered to run in a Group Three race in Ireland later this month but everything depends on how she performs in the Listed race at Salisbury.

“I believe that her best distance is from a mile up to a mile and a half, so the Salisbury race should suit her well.”

Petroutsios is delighted to be fielding the first Cypriot-trained runner in the UK but admits the filly is facing a step into the unknown.

“I am looking forward to coming to Salisbury, especially as Wymering File is the first horse from Cyprus to race in England,” he added.

“She has been a talented filly in Cyprus and we want to test her capabilities in England.

“The rules in Cyprus do not allow horses to compete that have already raced in other countries. That means she has only faced local-bred horses or imported horses that were un-raced.

“Going to Greece last time was a measure because she faced European-bred fillies and some of them had raced in England, France and Ireland.

“That was an indication to us that perhaps she could compete in England, although there is of course that question mark about the turf.”