3 Win Wednesday - My Lips Are Sealed Super

Coping admirably with conditions, My Lips Are Sealed (3 f Ace High – Tellmeaboutit, by Tavistock) produced an emphatic fresh-up victory in the $18,500 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 6 September at Avondale.

Having displayed natural ability through the trials' stage as a two-year-old and contesting one race last November at Te Rapa, won by stable-mate and recent fresh-up winner Viva Vienna (All Too Hard), My Lips Are Sealed shaped as a lovely three-year-old type.

She lifted nicely to finish second on Heavy10 when trialling on 15 August at Avondale, and obliged on footing rated the same. 

Ridden by Te Akau former Champion Apprentice Joe Kamaruddin, now fully fledged as a jockey with 156 wins to his credit, My Lips Are Sealed got back in a field of eight before piercing through to challenge on straightening and after quickening past the leader 300m out she drew away to score easily. 

In the race sponsored by Avondale Business Association, My Lips Are Sealed ran 1200 metres in 1:17.7 on Heavy10 footing, winning by two and a half lengths, and paid $11.40 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She’d trialled up well at Avondale, and it was really nice to see her resume with a win at just her second start,” said co-trainer Mark Walker.

“We thought a bit of her as a two-year-old, before she went through a growing stage, but I think she’s confirmed today what we thought of her early on.

“The owners have been really patient and once she learns the racing craft – still a little bit green and keen early in the race today – I think she has the makings of a nice filly when she’s figured out what racing’s about.”

Owned by Te Akau Not A Word Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), My Lips Are Sealed was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis CNZM for $160,000 at the Karaka 2022 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Rich Hill Stud. 

She was the first sales' representative of dual Group One winner Ace High, by Champion Sire and sire of sires High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), out of a mare by dual Group One winning stallion Tavistock (Montjeu), who had a great turn of foot, sire of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther and seven Derby winners.

Ace High won the Victoria Derby (Gr. 1, 2500m) and Spring Champion Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m), giving the filly first-class miler and staying appeal.

Grand-dam What Can I Say (Khozaam), a noted performer on rain-affected going, impressed recording eight victories which included the Warwick Farm Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m). In turn, she became an incredible producer of 10 individual winners, notching 29 wins, including six stakes' wins, and over $1.5 million in prize money.

The family also includes speed influence of Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard), who finished second to Te Akau trained Champion Two-Year-Old Sword of State (Snitzel) in King’s Plate (Gr. 3, 1200m), and the Group Three winner has subsequently finished runner-up three times at Group One level. 

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: ““She’s a really nice filly with plenty of quality by the new sire, Ace High.

“He’s a son of High Chaparral, like Tivaci, Dundeel, Contributer, Wrote, Redwood, and his sire sons are doing an enormous job. 

“She’s out of a mare by Tavistock, who has great stats as a broodmare sire. She’s out of a nice young mare from a fast family, so we were really keen to be strong on her early in the sale. 

“We’re excited about the progeny of Ace High that we’ve seen. He was good enough to win as a two-year-old and also had the stamina and quality to win a Derby and Spring Championship Stakes.”

Also taken with the filly was Rich Hill Stud boss John Thompson, who said: “It’s very exciting that she’s going to such a good stable and we’ve always rated her very highly. 

“It’s a really good filly family that we’ve done so well with. She has the makings of a Guineas type of filly and potential over ground from there. 

“Gai Waterhouse was also very strong on the filly, as under bidder.”

The filly carries a lovely cross of Champion Sire and breed shaper Sadler’s Wells.

My Lips Are Sealed was strapped by Zoe Ashworth.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz