‘All the good mile-and-a-half races’ will be on the agenda for 2025.
Fans of Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me are already anticipating her comeback in the upcoming season, having confirmed that the smart filly has been sent down for the winter. Certainly not a barren campaign, by any means, as she won top honors in the Curragh Classic in July. Ralph Beckett's charge was not at her best in her last run of the year at Doncaster, finishing last in St. Leger. Nathaniel's daughter will now be given some breathing space before returning as a four-year-old for her comeback.
You Got To Me has been a consistent presence in top-tier races this season, starting with a respectable fourth-place finish in the Oaks at Epsom and the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Then came victory in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh, followed by a gallant second to Content in the Yorkshire Oaks a month later. Then came the St. Leger at Doncaster, where she trailed home last of seven, clearly all at sea on the day.
What a ride 🚀
You Got To Me gives @HectorCrouch his first Classic success by taking the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the @curraghrace 👏#EveryRacingMoment | @RalphBeckettpic.twitter.com/fV5sMIS6pA
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) July 20, 2024
Part-owner and racing adviser to Valmont, Alex Elliott, was providing some explanation of why, in a follow-up meeting after her disappointing St. Leger run, she had gained in hand half what others on hand had expected. "I think the key thing for this filly all year has been the race being run at the right pace, and they didn't go quick enough," Elliott said. "She didn't drop the bridle until they turned into the straight, and over that trip, you just can't expend any energy, especially at that level."
Although she was unable to pull off the win, Elliott has high hopes for good things with You Got To Me moving forward; indeed, she has already been returned to Newsells Park Stud for a well-deserved rest. "She's been to a lot of dances this year and is now finished for the season. She'll have a good break, and we'll look forward to next year with her. If she comes right in time, you could probably look at Dubai, and then it will be all the good mile-and-a-half races moving forward."
In addition, of course, to You Got To Me, Valmont connections are also patently enthusiastic about another up-and-comer in their pipeline, the developing two-year-old filly Sandtrap. Trained by Beckett, Sandtrap made a striking racecourse debut at Salisbury earlier this month, easily justifying her odds-on favoritism. She is a daughter of Lope De Vega, bred to mature as a three-year-old, and has already thrilled in that regard, thus raising hopes that she could step up in class before the season's end.
I spoke highly of the way the filly ran and said she'd been very impressive," Elliott said, adding that the filly exceeded expectations for her age and breeding. "She's a May 15 foal, bred to be a three-year-old really, so for her to go and do that on debut at two was everything we hoped for and more," Elliott shared. She's come out of it very well and it's just a matter of whether Ralph runs her this season or not. The signs are all good coming out of the race.
While no entries have been received for Sandtrap in any of the major stakes open, on which the filly will race, Elliott would not say that she couldn't go on to bigger things if that's what Ralph S. Ravin wanted. "All options are open, and we'll let Ralph tell us when he wants to run her and where. If that means going into a stakes race, so be it. She looked at that ilk when she won, so I don't think we'd have anything to be afraid of."
There is much for the Valmont team to look forward to in the months to come, especially with You Got To Me and Sandtrap showing so much promise. While You Got To Me enjoys her winter break, eyes will be on her well-anticipated return next season, and as far as Sandtrap is concerned, there's a lot of excitement around what lies ahead.
