La Mer honoured

Press, 24 April 1979, Page 31

La Mer honoured

PA Auckland The brilliant Taranaki mare. La Mer, has been chosen as Ellerslie Horse of the Year. 1979, on the vote of the Ellerslie public at Saturday’s Easter meeting. La Mer, whose outstanding Ellerslie performance during the 12-months voting period was her last-to-first victory in the rich Air New Zealand Stakes on March 3, won the award by a clear margin from her nearest rival, Shivaree.

The grand mare earned for her owners, the J. M. Carpenter Memorial Prize, an oil painting of the award winner which remains with the owner or owners for their lifetime and then is returned to the Auckland Racing Club. ’Chaser put down Captain General, a wellperformed U-year-old, had to be destroyed after he fractured the fetlock of his off foreleg with 1600 m to go in the Autumn Steeplechase at Ellerslie on Saturday. A gelding by Battle-Waggon, from Maid of Kent, Captain General was successful on the flat, over hurdles and over country. Skelton out At Ellerslie on Saturday the Takanini jockey, R. J. Skelton, was suspended up to and including April 28. Skelton, the rider of Aghios Nikalaos in the Challenge Handicap, was found to have caused interference to Better Be Good and Herodes inside the final 200 m. B. York, a Takanini apprentice, was fined $5O for causing interference to Cambridge King and Ce Soir when his mount, Maori Boy, shifted in within the last 100 m of the Hunua Maiden. — PA.