Father Ray Besanko shares special win with daughter Kasey with Illyivy before he hands over training reins
Illyivy made up for a last-start defeat at Caulfield with a sustained run to overhaul Mercurial Lady.
Supercilious rounded out the top three.
Unplaced favourite Xarpo faded in the straight after a wide run in transit.
Besanko appreciated the 'unbelievable' result just weeks before a pending father-daughter training partnership becomes official.
'She's going to take over the reins,' Besanko said.
'She does all the work with this horse, she does everything with her.
'It's all her, I'm so proud of her, I couldn't be prouder.'
Kasey Besanko bred the tough Flying Artie filly, a handful off the track but fighter on.
Illyivy over the top!
A perfectly timed ride by @Logez27 gives the Besanko's a special family win at Caulfield ðŸ'– ðŸ'– pic.twitter.com/31vKcuouPj
â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) July 12, 2025
'She means a lot to me … when you breed them you don't get to choose, you get what you're given,' the aspiring trainer said.
'I remember when I first saw her I said to Dad, 'she's beautiful, just the most amazing thing ever', and Dad's like, 'here we go again'.
'She's honest, she's hard work, but she means a lot … she's just tough, she doesn't give up.
'See her in the mounting yard, she's full of it, but she's tough, you know she's going to get there.'
Rising star apprentice jockey Logan Bates nailed the brief on Illyivy.
Bates's father Jamie, a former jockey, rode for Besanko early on.
'It means a lot, Ray and Kasey are unbelievable workers,' Bates said.
'I had a bit to do with this horse early and she's furnished into the horse we all thought she would.
'She's furnished in size, she's a little brute now.
'The other day I just got held up a little bit and the winner (Xarpo) got away, not saying I would've won the race but she's that sort of building type.
'If anything we hit the front too soon and she wanted to pull up, there's a lot of improvement there.'
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