We're all driving Mini's, but you've got a Mercedes. The great La Mer was a sensational racehorse

Successful over 1200 to 2400 metres, and having won 17 Group races, with three at Group One level, LA MER takes her place alongside SHOW GATE, HORLICKS and SUNLINE as one of the best mares to come out of New Zealand since the Second World War and one of the greats of all time. La Mer burst onto the Central Districts racing scene in a glittering three-start debut season which stretched across a mere five weeks. Her 2nd start resulted in a dominant seven length win at New Plymouth before she took on the country's best juveniles in the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes. Again, La Mer won effortlessly with a margin of 4 lengths back to ELTON and VICE REGAL.

Having seen what the filly could do, she was put aside and aimed for the 1976/77 filly of the Year title with an assault on the pinnacle, NZ Oaks. The three-year-old filly won the Desert Gold Stakes (by five lengths), the Eulogy Stakes (by six lengths) and the Royal Stakes (by four and a half lengths), with a blistering display of power, speed and strength. As a three-year-old she then finished third at weight-for-age in the Awapuni Gold Cup behind BALMERINO and COPPER BELT.

LA MER achieved a remarkable victory in the 1977 NZ Oaks, taking control effortlessly and running away with it. Jockey Des Harris agreed that the win was easy.  “When we came round the turn, we were still back and inside Bob Skelton, so I just eased her back and pulled out around him and went – her acceleration was unbelievable,” he said.

Her subsequent triumph in the 1979 Air NZ Stakes was equally impressive. Despite starting near the back of the pack, she displayed exceptional speed and agility, surging past her competitors along the inside rail to secure a scintillating victory. La Mer was sired by COPENHAGEN II from LA BALSA (NZ) who was by the French sire WORDEN. She was bred by Jack Alexander at Cranleigh Stud down in Wanganui and born on Melbourne Cup day in 1973. Later she was sold to Mr Allen Alexander of Wynthorpe Stud, Tikorangi. She was trained by Malcolm Smith at Bell Block, New Plymouth, with regular jockey Des Harris, riding the horse in all but one of her 43 starts. He recalls another jockey chirping at him after another La Mer win, saying:

"we're all driving' Mini's, but you've got a Mercedes."

La MER added to more victories to her three-year-old season, which saw her crowned filly of the Year. She took out the Manawatu Breeders Stakes over 2000m by five lengths and, after finishing 3rd at WFA in the Awapuni Gold Cup behind the great BALMERINO, blitzed the Great Northern Oaks field by an amazing 10 lengths after Malcolm Smith had tried to scratch her due to an unsuitable soft track. In those glory days of racing, La Mer would do battle with the very best, both here and in Australia. She was a remarkably talented filly and mare that dominated the New Zealand racing scene for four years, destroying many high quailty fields. Peter Kelly's commentary in the New Oaks summed up the amazing ability of the horse as a youngster - "you've got to see this filly to believe it, she's put two lengths on them in a flash, in a twinkling of an eye...what a fantastic filly this is."

She raced and won 24 times out of 43 starts, as well as second 5 times and third 6 times from 1200m to 2400m, winning NZ$225,925 and AUS$19,500 in stake money.

LA MER won numerous Weight for Age races in New Zealand, including various feature races throughout the Central Districts, and the trips North to Ellerslie were also quite profitable. She also won the Coongy Handicap with a brilliant run slipping through on the inside and placed 2nd in the 1978 Mackinnon Stakes behind 1977 Cox Plate winner FAMILY OF MAN. A 6th in the Austrakian Cup behind three great horses in DULCIFY, MANIKATO and FAMILY OF MAN was also part of that campaign. LA MER would finish her career with victory in tbe Ormond Gold Cup at Hastings in April 1979.

She was sold to Captain Tim Rogers and exported to Ireland after completing racing down under. La Mer's first foal, LOUGHMORE (IRL), by ARTAIUS, winner of the Sandown Eclipse Stakes, was brought to New Zealand where she won once from ten starts and produced the Group One Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes winner LITTLE JAMIE. La Mer left seven winners, although none had the quality of herself. However, she is the great grand-dam of NAHRAIN, winner of the 2011 Coral Distaff and Prix de l'Opéra and the 2012 Flower Bowl Stakes.

Record - 43: 24-2-2

Earnings - NZ$223,304

1976

Sapling Stakes Handicap, Woodville - 1200m

Taranaki Handicap - 1200m

Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes - 1400m

Gold Trail Stakes, Hastings - 1400m

Desert Gold Stakes, Trentham - 1600m

Eulogy Stakes, Awapuni - 1600m

1977

Royal Stakes Ellerslie - 2000m

New Zealand Oaks, Trentham - 2400m

Manawatu Breeders Stakes - 2000m

Great Northern Oaks, Ellerslie - 2400m

Levin Cup Stakes, Levin - 1600m

Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders - 1600m

Manawatu Challenge Stakes, Awapuni - 1600m

1978

New Zealand International Stakes, Te Rapa - 2200

Rotorua Travel Lodge Stakes - 1900m

Awapuni Gold Cup, Awapuni - 2000m

Ormond Memorial Gold Cup, Hastings - 2000m

Coongy Handicap, Caulfield - 2000m

2nd Mackinnon Stakes, Victoria - 2000m (Family of Man)

Topsy Stakes, Otaki - 2000m

1979

Manawatu Challenge Stakes, Awapuni - 1600m

Pahiatua WFA Stakes, Pahiatua - 2000m

Wairarapa Breeders Stakes, Carterton - 2000m

New Zealand Stakes, Ellerslie - 2000m

Ormond Memorial Gold Cup, Hastings 2000m

New Zealand horse of the year 1975, 1977