Unplaced in his past five starts, locally trained gelding Got Under pulled off a $26
shock in Friday’s $150,000 Group 111 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle and credit his trainer Jay Hopkins with the biggest win of his career with a horse he purchased for just $1,250.
Without a win since January, Got Unders beat just one runner home at Rosehill six days ago.
With Tim Clark in the saddle, Got Unders gradually wore down the topweight Sound Proposition (Savabeel) by a short head as the pair put a four and three-quarter length margin on third placed
Spectroscope.
A Forman for John O’Shea before he left for Godolphin, Hopkins only took out his trainer’s license about 12 months ago.
He purchased Got Unders for $1250 from the Edinglassie Stud draft at the 2010 Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale.
The 8yo gelding had stints with Paul Smith and Ken Lantry before Hopkins took out his license.
The son of Southern Speed advances his record to 6 wins, 12 seconds and 12 thirds from 51 starts with earnings of $415,690.
"When he kept coming just after the 300 I thought we're going to run a place and then he kept coming and coming and coming, it was good," Hopkins told Sky Racing.
Back in March, Got Unders finished second to Happy Clapper second in the Group III Newcastle Newmarket.
It was a second consecutive Cameron for Tim Clark who was quick to praise the young trainer.
"A great achievement by Jay to get this old horse to perform so well in a big race on his home track," Clark said.
"He put himself into a lovely spot. When they quickened before the turn they put half a length on him but they didn't get away from him and I think it gave him confidence as well.
"When got to the outside of Sound Proposition he really knuckled down and fought it out strongly."
Got Unders is one of three winners from three winners from six foals out of the Danehill mare Frantoio who is a half-sister to Miss Margaret who won the Group I South Australian Oaks and VRC Chrysler Stakes.
Miss Margaret is the dam of stakes winner Confront and Celebrity Miss while another half-sister Starnet is the dam of Group 111 winner Dances On Stars.
Frantoio was pensioned in 2012.
Got Unders is the ninth stakes winner for former Widden shuttler Southern Image (Halo’s Image).
By far his best has been the 2011 Caulfield Cup heroine Southern Speed.
