Runner-up was $4.20 favourite Blu Boy Jag, trained by Gunnedah’s Gavin Groth, while other horses had SPs of $4.60, $6, $7, $7.50 and $11 in the field of 10.

Monday was the third time Packen had raced since returning from an 18-week spell, having come sixth out of 10 at Muswellbrook before coming third-last out of 18 at Rose Hill.

Following the win at Gunnedah, trainer Brian Jenkinson of Scone said Packen “wasn’t quite ready” at Rose Hill as the horse tired a little.

Monday was the first time Ben Looker rode Packen, with Leanne G Henry having ridden the bay gelding at Muswellbrook before Taylor Marshall did so at Rose Hill.

Jenkinson said Looker travelled more than four hours from Grafton to take part in the event at the Riverside Racecourse.

Jenkinson made mention of “the way he rode the horse”, with regard to any particular strategy to win the 2050m race.

With the horses having been bunched, Jenkinson said the key was to accelerate just before the point of the turn.

As for what might be next for Packen, Jenkinson said “we’ll just go through the grades”.

Race five wasn’t the closest race at the Riverside Racecourse on the day, as race seven was decided by 0.1 lengths.

Races three, four and eight had a margin of 0.8 lengths between the winner and runner-up, while less than one length separated first from third in races three and eight.