Racing: Best of the best - Elsu's top moments

Hunter Cup, Moonee Valley, 2005: The Hunter Cup has become the hardest race in the world to win off a backmark, with the tight track and relentless tempo of Australian racing making it almost impossible for those coming wide.

Yet Elsu settled last from his 20m handicap, sat three wide as Australia's best enjoyed dream trips and then exploded at the top of the straight to win effortlessly.

"I was watching a replay the other day and when I saw him three wide at the bell I still winced because you can't win the Hunter Cup doing that," said Geoff Small.
In a word, scary.

The Interdominions, Alexandra Park, 2005: His three heat wins were a mixture of complete domination after leading before a morale-sapping thrashing of his opponents in the last round over 2700m.

His Grand Final performance was arrogant.

He once again settled last and then cruised around to sit parked before changing gears at the 400m and sending the Alexandra Park crowd into a frenzy.

"You have to take the whole series as one great performance and to be honest, by the time the Grand Final came around, I expected him to win," said Small.

No pacer in the world would have beaten him that night.

Auckland Cup, Alexandra Park, 2003: Again had a tricky starting position but a perfect drive from David Butcher saw him tracking Just An Excuse from the 700m mark.

Once the two heroes reached the home straight Butcher let Elsu go and he put five lengths on his Addington conqueror.

Group one races are rarely won so easily.

Auckland Cup, Alexandra Park, 2004: At first glance hardly a stunning win even after he started from a 10m handicap.

Butcher's drive was again perfect, with superb timing, and that helped Elsu defend his title.

But the subsequent revelation that Elsu was troubled by the knee problem that would eventually end his career, meaning he couldn't have been any more than 90 per cent right that night, puts this performance in perspective.

2nd New Zealand Cup, Addington, 2004: A performance that would have won Elsu any of the 100 New Zealand Cups that came before.

He started from a 10m handicap, settled well back and then strode to the lead after just 800m.

The early sectionals were slow but Elsu overraced to the point that he paced his last mile in 1:54, an unheard of time at the end of a 3200m race.

Take Just An Excuse out of the race and he would have won by lengths. As it was he went down to a truly great horse at the top of his game.

It was the last time Just An Excuse beat Elsu.

Small's honourable mentions:

"Apart from the big ones, which are always great, I still can't believe he won the Manukau Cup fresh up as a 4-year-old," says his trainer.

"He wasn't ready, we missed away and we were giving Bella's Boy nine lengths at the 400m mark.

"He absolutely flew that last 100m and that was with me driving him. It was pretty special."

"And I also thought his second in his first New Zealand Cup was awesome.

"He had to come wide, give Just An Excuse a start, and still only just went down.

"He was only a baby then and it was his first big open class test so it was a hell of a run."