I Am I Said leading Valmont Classic hopes

After breaking their Classic duck last summer, owners Valmont are dreaming of more big-race glory as I Am I Said and Push The Limit lead their crack team of three-year-olds for 2025.

You Got To Me landed the Irish Oaks for Valmont and their principal trainer Ralph Beckett last summer and connections are hoping the Dante and dual-Derby entrant I Am I Said could prove a real hit this term, ahead of a potential return to the scene of his impressive debut in next week’s Feilden Stakes.

“He’s a horse who kind of crept up on us a little bit and he hadn’t been showing anything super-duper at home, but he obviously saves it for the track,” said Valmont’s racing adviser Alex Elliott of the Newmarket possible.

“It was a very pleasant surprise and he’s been given an entry for the Feilden Stakes. I’m not sure where Ralph is planning and we kind of just leave it in the trainer’s hands, but we take it as a positive Ralph has entered him in the Feilden.

“He has got a Derby entry and I imagine he’s going to be a 10-furlong-plus horse, so it would look a good place to start, but Ralph will pick the right spot when he’s ready to pull the trigger.

“He’s a horse who has had a very good winter and he has a very good pedigree, so he has license to be a good horse and he did look like one on debut, so let’s hope we can make the next step.”

Stablemate Push The Limit has always been held in high regard and made a taking debut at Kempton last October.

Like I Am I Said, he holds entries for the Dante and Derby and is generating plenty of excitement.

“He’s a horse who Ralph always spoken promisingly of and it was a really good performance at Kempton with some of the form working out well,” said Elliott.

“You have got to think he will be a better three-year-old being by Le Havre and he was a big, raw horse last year. I’m not sure where we will start back, but he’s had a nice winter and we’re looking forward to him.”

However, one unlikely to be seen in the early stages of the season is talented filly Sandtrap, who has been ruled out of a tilt at the 1000 Guineas, for which she was a general 33-1 shot.

The daughter of Lope De Vega cost 450,000 guineas as a yearling and having finished was second in a Deauville Group Two on just her second outing, is anticipated to have a bright future.

“She’s a filly who is very good looking and cost a lot of money,” added Elliott.

“She was working very well and did everything right on debut at Salisbury. We sat on her and waited a little bit because she was such a frame and wanted to give her as much time as possible. We ended up going to France on bottomless ground and it wasn’t ideal despite her running well.

“She won’t make a trial or the 1000 Guineas but she might make the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She’s been put in the Oaks as well but she’s a sister to Carl Spackler who is a crack miler and Grade One winner in America, so I would say we will start at a mile and then we will know the route we are going.

“We’ll be patient with her and I definitely think she is one to look forward to.”