Season of Success: She Seals Victory

There was a special sense of occasion at Matamata on 14 February when My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High – Tellmeaboutit, by Tavistock) produced a determined performance to capture the $120,000 Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).

Given a beautifully judged ride in front by Rory Hutchings, the five-year-old mare travelled sweetly throughout before showing plenty of courage in the straight to record Te Akau's 12th stakes' victory of the season.

"It is a very proud day for Te Akau to win a race named in honour of one of the most wonderful women I have ever met," Sir David Ellis said after the race.

"It was fantastic to see the Waikato Stud family represented in the winner's circle to celebrate Lisa's legacy. Garry Chittick has made such an enormous contribution to New Zealand racing and breeding, alongside Mary, Mark and Pip Chittick, George, Charlotte and Harry, and young Charlie of course - a family that has meant so much to our industry and to me personally."

The victory was richly deserved for a mare whose consistency has always been one of her greatest strengths.

As a three-year-old she finished runner-up in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes before enjoying an outstanding four-year-old campaign that included victory in the Group 3 Phar Lap Trophy and a brave third behind champion mare Legarto in this very race. To return 12 months later and go two places better was a fitting reward for both her determination and the patience shown by her ownership group.

While persistent rain made conditions difficult for many runners, the Heavy9 surface held no fears for My Lips Are Sealed. She relished the testing footing, no doubt aided by her outstanding maternal family, with her grand-dam, What Can I Say, renowned as an accomplished performer on rain-affected tracks.

She stopped the clock in 1:27.3 for the 1400 metres, with her final 600 metres in 38.2 seconds, rewarding supporters with dividends of $20.60 and $4.50 on the NZ TAB.

Owned by the Te Akau Not A Word Racing Partnership (Mgr: Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM), My Lips Are Sealed was selected by Sir David Ellis KNZM from the draft of Rich Hill Stud at the 2022 Karaka Book 1 Sale for $160,000.

She was the very first yearling offered by dual Group One winner Ace High, himself successful in both the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). A son of Champion Sire and influential sire of sires High Chaparral, Ace High offered a pedigree packed with quality, stamina and class.

On her dam's side, My Lips Are Sealed is equally well credentialled. Her dam is by outstanding sire Tavistock, while her grand-dam, What Can I Say, was not only an eight-time winner—including the Group 2 Warwick Farm Stakes—but became an exceptional broodmare, producing 10 individual winners who collectively recorded 29 victories, including six at stakes level, and earned more than $1.5 million in prize money.

The family also boasts plenty of speed through Group Three winner Babylon Berlin, who finished runner-up to Te Akau-trained Champion Two-Year-Old and now exciting young sire Sword Of State in the Group 3 King's Plate, before going on to win three Group Three races and finish runner-up on three occasions at Group One level.

My Lips Are Sealed concluded her racing career as a five-time winner with earnings of $264,710 before being offered through the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, where she was purchased by Rich Hill Stud for A$180,000. She now embarks on an exciting new chapter as a broodmare, carrying an outstanding pedigree highlighted by a valuable cross of the legendary Sadler's Wells.

Previous Te Akau winners of the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m):

2022 – Imperatriz (I Am Invincible)