Over two decades after winning the Harden Picnic Cup as a jockey, Spackman won his hometown feature with Cryfowl on Saturday.

He’s had five runners in the race since taking out his license, and after a couple of seconds was finally able to break through.

He was thrilled to come away with the win.

“It means a lot to me,” Spackman said.

“It probably means nothing to anyone else but it means a lot to me.

“I won it 25 years ago as a jockey and to win it as a trainer is massive.

“It means the world to me and I’ve been trying to do it since I’ve been training.”

It continued a good run of form for Cryfowl, who had been runner up in three of his last four runs for Spackman.

He’s now won two of his 11 starts, plus the three placings.

Joining Spackman from Darren Weir’s stable, the Wagga trainer has had his work cut out for him, but was impressed by the five-year-old’s performance.

“He’s been going good,” he said. “It is a pretty big effort for a class one horse to win the Harden Cup.

“And he had to carry big weight.” 

With a number of picnic jockeys suspended, Spackman flew Max Keenan up from Cranbourne to take the ride.

It was a trip definitely worthwhile as he claimed his first cup win in the process. 

“He rode him like G Moore,” Spackman said.

“It was his first cup winner and he did a very good job.”

Things didn’t go to plan from gate one with Cryfowl settling towards the rear of the field.

However luck was on the pair’s side as they gained the run needed to storm to the finishing line.

They were almost a length clear of Tearful Kitty for Trevor Sutherland.

“We needed a bit of luck turning for home and weren’t going to get to the outside as there was no where to go and had to wait, wait, wait and the gap appeared,” Spackman said.

“Thank God Maxy was good enough to drive him through it and once he got there it was the end of the section and he was home.

“It was a very good, patient ride.”

Meanwhile Moruya jockey Maddison Wright had a field day.

She won four of the six races on the card and was placed in the other two including aboard Diamond Charlie in the cup.