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.
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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.
'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.'
Logan Bates gets the jobe done on Illyivy. Picture: Getty Images
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.'
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Caulfield double ideal tonic for Payne
Stop The Rock went from threatening to spoil a belated 50th birthday party for trainer Patrick Payne to helping to fund the shindig on Saturday night.
Stop The Rock, who dropped Payne in a gallop early in the week after being spooked by birds, sealed a race-to-race double for him and co-trainer sister Michelle at Caulfield.
The rising four-year-old sustained a strong gallop under jockey Billy Egan to complete a hat-trick after wins at Swan Hill and Flemington previously.
Egan also piloted the airborne Payne partnership flag-bearer Jimmy The Bear to victory in the VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m).
Michelle Payne said Patrick, 'a bit beaten up' after the fall, would 'feel a lot better' on Saturday.
Stop The Rock defied interference midrace to get the result.
'He's the type of horse that could do that (overcome adversity) because he's so casual,' Payne said.
'He's a beauty, shows up race day, no fuss and he's becoming a stable favourite too.'
Jimmy The Bear capped a brilliant winter campaign – with a fourth win from the past six starts.
'It was as nice a watch as you could hope for,' Payne said of the $1.75 favourite.
'Billy was in a beautiful spot, settled, speed was nice and steady.
'Got a beautiful cart up and had every possible chance. A lovely watch.'
Gilbert Gardiner
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Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun.
@gilbertgardiner
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