Henry Spiller was one of a handful of British-based trainers to taste success in France last year, sending out two winners, including a notable success for Crack Regiment in a Quinte handicap at Compiegne in September, given a memorable ride by our Sharp Minds contributor Theo Bachelot.

Yesterday, Spiller’s second runner of the 2021 campaign in France, Amy C, provided him with a first ever winner at Deauville.  Speaking to Race Sharp this morning, the Newmarket trainer was very complimentary about the three year old’s prospects this season.

“We were very hopeful going to Deauville.  Her last piece of work was very pleasing and she had improved a lot from her debut, when runner-up over the same course and distance in December.  We will step her up in grade now and we may well look to run her in either an English or French Guineas trial.”

Amy C is from the first crop of Dalham Hall Stud’s Charming Thought, who had six winners in 2020, notably the Group 1 National Stakes sixth Charterhouse, who had won his maiden in impressive fashion at the Curragh in August.  Owned and bred by Franconson Partners, Amy C is a half-sister to dual winner Breakfast Club, out of an Exceed And Excel half-sister to Group 3 Firth Of Clyde runner-up Mary’s Daughter, as well as to the dam of a Group-placed two year old filly in Ireland last year, Sussex Garden.

While Spiller’s team have made a very bright start to the year in the UK, with four winners already on the board, the master of Sackville House is keen to explore further opportunities in France this season and is already planning further raids in the coming weeks.

“France has been a happy hunting ground for us over the past three seasons.  The prize-money is lucrative and we have plenty in the yard that qualify for French owners’ premiums, so their programme suits our horses well.”