Racing: Elsu slays rivals at Auckland

As the curtain came down on Elsu's amazing season, trainer Geoff Small was already looking forward to his ultimate goal.

Elsu carried on where he left off at the Interdominions in March by destroying his opponents in the $100,000 City Of Auckland Pace, leading for the last 1800m to win untouched from Alta Serena.

It was the exclamation mark at the end of an unbelievable season in which he won the Auckland and Hunter Cups before clean-sweeping the Interdoms to become our first $2million pacer.

While Elsu could retire tomorrow and have nothing left to prove, that wouldn't suit Small, who has one burning ambition with his champion.

Elsu has been beaten into second by Just An Excuse in the last two New Zealand Cup and Small, who has never won the Addington classic, wants to do so.

"I want to win a New Zealand Cup because it is the race I grew up with,"

said the Cantebury-born horseman.

"And Elsu deserves to win a New Zealand Cup too. He has been too good a horse not to win one.

"We have a lot of options next season and a lot to work out over the winter but the Cup is the first priority."

Elsu will now have a three-week spell, with Small wary of giving him too much time off after he took longer than expected to work off his winter fat this season.

While well beaten last night, Alta Serena capped a superb comeback to the big time after having spent much of the season on the sidelines. Attorney General was a game third.

Second favourite Sly Flyin also lost few fans after having to work hard early and then sit parked before fading to fourth.

Elsu's win was the not the only highlight for driver David Butcher last night as he was seen in the less familiar role as trainer when Okete Star won the $100,000 PGG Sales Series fillies pace.

Having just her second start the fily used the passing lane to down hot favourite Gretamaro.

The win was the richest training success for Butcher and his father John since Abdias won the Taylor Mile in 1992.

"It is great to win any big race but even more so for Dad and this filly's owners."

Earlier in the night One Over Kenny left the usually ice cool Tony Herlihy shaking his head with a staggering win in the Great Northern Derby.

The three-year-old filly got involved in a spiried mid-race speed duel with George Castleton which should have left her a sitting duck at the end of a hard 2700m.

Instead she was still too good for the luckless Tozzie, who was at least as impressive as the winner after galloping with 1300m to run.

The win was One Over Kenny's eighth from just 12 starts and Herlihy was more than impressed.

"She was getting very keen in the one-one so I had to move with her when I did, even though it wasn't ideal," he admitted.

"Even though we had to go hard to get the lead she still wasn't really getting that tired in the home straight, in fact she was never off the bit.

"That was some win and I'd have to say she is one of the best young trotters I have driven."

The win will guarantee One Over Kenny three-year-old trotter of the year honours but her season may not be over yet.

Last night's performance is almost certain to convince trainer Phil Williamson to send One Over Kenny to Australia where she would be the horse to beat in races like the Victoria Oaks, Derby and Holmfield Trot.

Tozzie won't be heading to Australia but his efforts in the last month suggest he will one day he matching strides with One Over Kenny in open class.