A - Z New Zealand Cup : Z

9 November 2020 , A to Z

There is 1 day to the New Zealand Cup

From now to November 10 we will feature some of the great races, horses and personalities with a new letter for each day.

Z = Zenola

Zenola farm was the Auckland-based stables of high profile trainer Geoff Small who won the New Zealand Cup for the first and only time with Changeover in 2008.

The five-year-old beat Baileys Dream in a then record 3:56.4. Small also prepared Elsu, widely regarded as one of the best horses never to win a New Zealand Cup.

Twice New Zealand harness horse of the year, he won 11 group ones and made a clean sweep of the three heats and the final of the 2005 Interdominion series.

But despite all that Elsu could not win a New Zealand Cup. He twice finished second to grand stayer Just An Excuse, going down narrowly each time (2003 and 2004).