Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
A heady front-running ride from Rory Hutchings helped underrated mare My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) bounce back to winning form in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m) on her home track at Matamata on Saturday.
Heavy rain in the previous 24 hours had a major effect on proceedings as runners on the day were faced with a testing Heavy9 surface that had many struggling to make ground in the final stages of their races.
Hutchings took the bull by the horns to put the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared daughter of Ace High in front from barrier rise as they dictated affairs ahead of the well-fancied Mary Shan, who sat on their heels throughout.
Although unsighted since finishing midfield at Ellerslie in November last year, My Lips Are Sealed was travelling powerfully turning for home and she never looked like stopping as she held out the late challenges of Our Jumala, Mary Shan and Lux Libertas to claim her second victory at stakes level and the fifth of her career to date.
Bergerson admitted that while the team had been rueing the rain that had arrived on Friday, making track conditions tough for most of their runners, he was confident that if My Lips Are Sealed was near her best, she would tough to beat.
“She was the one of our team in on the day that I felt would really handle the underfoot conditions,” Bergerson said.
“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.”
Bergerson was quick to commend the ride by Hutchings who took the initiative to put the mare in front which hadn’t been the pre-race plan.
“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.
“He (Hutchings) said she jumped so well and was so keen he decided to go forward and put the pressure on and that paid dividends as she never looked like getting caught.
“As long as she gets through the race well we might look at the Cuddle Stakes (Gr.3, 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.”
Co-bred by Rich Hill Stud, who offered her in Book 1 at Karaka in 2022, the mare was purchased by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis for $160,000.
Raced by the Te Akau Not A Word Racing Partnership she has now had 22 starts for five wins, four placings and earned $264,710 in stakes.
