My Lips Are Sealed (NZ) Too Strong in Lisa Chittick

Karaka graduate My Lips Are Sealed (NZ) (Ace High) took her career earnings past $250,000 with her second black-type success in Saturday’s $120,000 Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m) at Matamata.

My Lips Are Sealed was offered by co-breeders Rich Hill Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2022, where Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis bought her for $160,000. Her 22-race career has produced five wins, four placings and $264,710 in prize-money.

My Lips Are Sealed has now been a stakes performer at the ages of three, four and five. She finished second in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old, then won last season’s Group Three Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) and ran third behind Group One star Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the 2025 edition of the Lisa Chittick. She came back 12 months later and went two better.

Rider Rory Hutchings decided to press forward on My Lips Are Sealed in the fillies and mares’ feature, taking up the lead inside the first 200 metres. They were able to control the race from that point on, and My Lips Are Sealed suddenly had her seven opponents in deep trouble when she kicked away at the home turn.

Proven black-type mares Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor), Our Jumala (NZ) (Zed) and Lux Libertas (NZ) (Almanzor) chased hard down the Matamata straight, but My Lips Are Sealed was out of reach and won by a length and three-quarters.

“She was the one of our team in on the day that I felt would really handle the heavy conditions,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker.

“She put in a sparkling effort 12 months ago when running third behind Legarto in this race, and I just thought if she was back to somewhere near her best, she would be a good chance.

“She had been disappointing in the spring and we were wondering if she was telling us it might be the right time to become a mum, but she freshened up nicely and she showed her true class today.

“We had a good chat with Rory before the race and he said he would probably ride her two or three pairs back and then make a run. He said she jumped so well and was so keen, he decided to go forward and put the pressure on, and that paid dividends. She never looked like getting caught.

“As long as she gets through the race well, we might look at the Cuddle Stakes (Group Three, 1600m) at Trentham for her next, but we won’t make those sort of decisions until we have had a chance to see how she pulls up.”

My Lips Are Sealed is building real value ahead of a potential broodmare career. She has a strong black-type pedigree, with her dam being a half-sister to the multiple Australian Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Only Words (End Sweep) – herself the dam of Group Two winners Chat (Deep Field) and Holy Snow (Fastnet Rock).

The pedigree page also features the likes of Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) and Darci Be Good (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

My Lips Are Sealed’s victory was part of a notable day for Te Akau Racing on Saturday. The syndication powerhouse also announced that another of Ellis’ Karaka purchases, He Who Dares (NZ) (Snitzel), will represent their slot in the $4m NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7 – a race they won last year with Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel).

 

Vendor	Rich Hill Stud
Purchaser	Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding	Ace High – Tellmeaboutit
Sale	Lot 7, Karaka 2022 Book 1, $160,000
Breeder	Bloodstock Resources Ltd & Rich Hill Thoroughbreds Ltd
Owner	Te Akau Not A Word Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM)