Partnership still going strong after nearly three decades

[Wandering Eyes]

A long and successful Waikato breeding partnership was to the fore again at Matamata on Saturday where My Lips Are Sealed doubled her stakes tally.

The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained mare made all the running in the hands of Rory Hutchings for a comfortable resuming victory in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).

My Lips Are Sealed was bred by Rich Hill Stud, who stand her sire Ace High, and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources, and was sold through the former’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $160,000.

“She was the highest priced yearling at Karaka from Ace High’s first crop,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said.

She has now won on five occasions, including last season’s Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) ahead of a third placing in the 2025 Lisa Chittick.

Rich Hill and Williams joined forces in 1998 to purchase My Lips Are Sealed’s dam What Can I Say in a private deal.

The daughter of Khozaam was secured after producing two foals in Australia, including four-time Group winner and multiple Group One placegetter Only Words.

“We bought the mare a long time ago, Bob Vance trained her and she was a great wet tracker,” Thompson said.

“She went to Sydney one year and won the Warwick Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) with Tie The Knot and Might And Power in the field.”

What Can I Say was in foal to Rock Of Gibraltar at the time of her purchase and the resulting filly Gibraltar Campion was sold at Karaka for $500,000 and subsequently won two stakes races.

“We also sold a Zabeel filly out of What Can I Say for $500,000 at Sydney Easter and then she had six colts in a row,” Thompson said.

Her final foal by Tavistock was My Lips Are Sealed’s dam Tellmeaboutit, who was retained and wasn’t persevered with as a racing proposition after jarring up.

Tellmeaboutit’s daughter of Satono Aladdin was passed in at Karaka last month and will be raced by Rich Hill and Williams.

“She’s got another really nice Satono Aladdin filly at foot and is back in foal to Ace High,” Thompson said.

Williams also bred from Tellmeaboutit’s half-sister You Can’t Say That, a daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus.

She produced his outstanding Group-winning sprinter Babylon Berlin, who was sold at the end of her decorated racing career for A$850,000 at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale.

“Sean Buckley (Ultra Thoroughbreds) bought her and she’s here on the farm and in foal to Satono Aladdin,” Thompson said.

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