For many, a Harden picnic maiden victory may not be on a list of ownership highlights, but for NSW’s leading country trainer Trevor Sutherland, the win of Coogee Beach Boy on Saturday was one of perseverance.

The four-year-old gelding, who was purchased at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, finally won his maiden at start 15 by a convincing four and a half lengths over 1000 metres on October 28.

Picnic jockey Billy Owen, now better known as Group One winner and Melbourne Cup hopeful Single Gaze’s trackwork rider, guided Coogee Beach Boy to the impressive win.

Coogee Beach Boy showed promise as an early two-year-old, but his manners at Sutherland’s Wagga stables left a lot to be desired.

He was a nightmare to handle and manage in track work and at one stage spent much of his time being ridden on bush tracks in a bid to get him to focus and concentrate on what he was bought to do, be a racehorse.

The Hinchinbrook gelding, known as “Derryn”, campaigned without success last spring, still proving to be a handful, and after a third at the Dederang picnics in January he was banished to a paddock.

Many believed he was unlikely to be retrieved, or if the was the sanity in doing so, but Sutherland is nothing but determined and put him back into work during the winter with the backing of the horse’s loyal owners.

“He is good at the races now and does a lot of things right, but still takes plenty of managing at home,” Sutherland said.

“He has been very immature, particularly mentally, but we know how to look after him and while you still have to be wary of him, he is a different horse this preparation.”

Coogee Beach Boy was beaten by the barest of margins first up at Lockhart over 930 metres on October 6 before leading throughout at Harden.

“Last preparation he couldn’t keep up and had no early speed, but now he is able to lead over 1000 metres. He is still improving physically and I am confident that he can win a TAB race or two,” he said.

“He has always shown ability, but has needed time, which is why we have been prepared to persist. As Bart Cummings said, ‘patience is the cheapest thing in racing and the least used’.

“I am delighted for the owners, too, as there are some tremendous long-term clients of mine who are in the horse.”