The irony of the win by Hooked in the Cameron Handicap was lost on few on course at Broadmeadow. The banner boys displayed posters pointing to the colourful history of Patinack Farm and its owner.

"That's it, it's over," Patinack trainer John Thompson said.

Patinack's first major win was in the 2008 Cameron, when Raheeb won in front of Tinkler. At that time he was the big man with the new money.

On Wednesday Tinkler was nowhere to be seen in Newcastle. A few failed business deals and his ownership of the Newcastle Knights that ended earlier in the year had something to do with that.

However, he was in constant contact with Thompson on the phone as his last runner graced the track. He was the final man, loyal to the end, in a line of more than a dozen trainers who were sacked or quit.

"I won my first race here for him five years ago tomorrow with Honest Truth, and I have won my last race for him here as well," Thompson said.

"It is a good way to end and I spoke to Nathan on Monday and said that to him, and he agreed it would be the right time to finish if he won.

"We were pretty confident and he got the job done."

There would be many who believe it was not the perfect ending considering Patinack's history. There is the long list of people who were made to wait for their money, and Thompson will only get his final payout in coming weeks.

Hooked will head to the Gold Coast at the weekend to be sold at a Magic Millions dispersal of the Patinack stock at the end of the month. There will probably not be another spring run for the four-year-old that promises to be competitive in the group 1 mile.

Thompson reflected on his time at Patinack and admitted he was happy to have met Tinkler.

"I walk away with more than 500 winners, 40-something stakes wins and the group 1s. It is something I couldn't have done without him," Thompson said.

"The first few years I was there were OK building up but the last few were difficult, given the financial situation.

"I had no control of that. It was difficult to run the stable on no budget but we have been lucky enough to keep getting winners and I hope people saw that.

"It was highly publicised what we went through but we had a good team and worked hard and stuck together."

The first thing jockey Blake Shinn did was praise Thompson. Like many in racing, he admires the man.

"John has gone through a lot and he has worked tirelessly to keep the organisation going, and hopefully he can keep a few of these horses," Shinn said.

He had ridden Hooked positively and controlled the Cameron and had few worries as he beat Rugged Cross and Mighty Lucky with some ease, having 1-1/2 lengths to spare on the line.

"I was very confident a long way out. He really enjoyed leading and had a great turn of foot when I asked for it," Shinn said.

"He still has it all in front of him, so he will make a nice horse for someone to buy."

Thompson hopes he might still be the trainer of Hooked after the sale but will continue in racing.

"It has been tough but we got through it. We have survived," he said.

Meanwhile Godolphin got its first black type winner under the banner of John O'Shea as Sweynesse kept his unbeaten run going with an easy win in the Spring Stakes.

"It is good to get that out of the way and hopefully there are many more to come," Godolphin's racing manager Jason Walsh said. "He is a very good colt and will head towards the Spring Champions Stakes."