Geraldine owner-breeder Bill Burdon had his patience rewarded when Cushion won at Wingatui yesterday.
The 5yr-old Cushion, trained at North Taieri by Steven Prince, was having his first start.
Cushion had had two setbacks after being broken in as a yearling.
He went shin sore at three and tore a tendon at four.
He finished second in a trial at Ashburton in March, 2007 when trained there by Daniel Champion.
Cushion was transferred to Prince 12 months later after he had treated for the tendon injury and given time to recover.
Cushion (Pins-La Pomme) is a brother of Thistle, winner of six races for Burdon from the Prince stable.
Thistle is due to start a fresh campaign in the Pegasus Handicap (1000m) at Riccarton on Saturday.
Lisa Cropp had been engaged to ride Thistle but she has been sidelined with a broken leg after being kicked by a horse at the Waipa meeting on Saturday.
She was kicked before race one but continued her engagement on Queen Of Scots.
She was stood down for the remainder of he rides.
La Pomme, the dam of Thistle and Cushion, has left other winners Beige Hunk (Australia), Super Elite (Hong Kong), Rockeur (six), Tribord and Red Hunk.
Cushion is the last foal of La Pomme, winner of eight races for Burdon when trained by Ray Pankhurst.
Cushion was bought back by Burdon for $30,000 when offered as a yearling at the 2005 select sale at Karaka.
• O'Reilly Rose responded to gear changes when she won the open 1400m yesterday, entering calculations for the $300,000 Coupland's Mile at Riccarton today week.
Trainers Peter and Dawn Williams put blinkers back on the mare yesterday and she also wore a tongue tie.
She is unbeaten in three starts at Wingatui.
She was ridden by Chris Johnson, who had ridden O'Reilly in one other start for an unplaced run two years ago.
Johnson does not have an engagement for the Coupland's, a race he won last year on Final Reality.
He has been booked for Addicted in the New Zealand One Thousand Guineas on Saturday.
Addicted has a win from three starts.
She won a race for 3yr-old fillies at Trentham at her last start on October 25, with Lisa Allpress the rider.
The daughter of No Excuse Needed is trained by Guy Lowry at Hastings.
• Jockeys Jarrod Todd and Daniel Bothamley and apprentice Centaine Spittles were suspended for careless riding at Wingatui yesterday.
Todd was suspended for meetings on November 7, 8 and 9 and fined $500 for causing interference in the back straight when riding Victory Morgan.
Bothamley is out for the three days of the NZ Cup meeting begininng on Saturday.
He was charged after his win on Oregon Blaze, who shifted out in the run home.
A protest by Chris Johnson, who rode the runner-up, was dismissed.
Spittles is suspended for the Saturday and Wednesday meetings at Riccarton, after her ride on Jackson Jones.
Johnson was fined $250 for failing to ride out No Different in race one.
No Different finished seventh and stewards considered the horse may have finished fifth or sixth.
Kalai Selvan was fined $125 for failing to weigh in for Burgundy Princess in race five.
Burgundy Princess finished last.
Ryan Bishop was fined $125 for coming into contact with a rider weighing in.
