Country trainer Allison Bennett completed her New Year's Day feature race trophy cabinet when outsider King Hoaks gave jockey Darren Gauci his fifth win in the Group Three Standish Handicap.Bennett, who won the 2001 Bagot Handicap with $31 chance Makibaoh, again delivered for bookmakers at the traditional Flemington meeting when King Hoaks charged home from last to win the 1200m feature at $18.Bowhunter squeezed through the pack to grab second place a length away in a three-way photo from Orbit

Country trainer Allison Bennett completed her New Year's Day feature race trophy cabinet when outsider King Hoaks gave jockey Darren Gauci his fifth win in the Group Three Standish Handicap.

Bennett, who won the 2001 Bagot Handicap with $31 chance Makibaoh, again delivered for bookmakers at the traditional Flemington meeting when King Hoaks charged home from last to win the 1200m feature at $18.

Bowhunter squeezed through the pack to grab second place a length away in a three-way photo from Orbit Express and Juggle The Books who battled hard to finish fourth.

Gauci said his best chance was to ride King Hoaks from behind when he drew the outside of the field and he followed Orbit Express throughout the race.

Gauci, who finished second on Orbit Express in the Christmas Stakes on Boxing Day, said the race couldn't have panned out any better.

"We decided to ride him a little bit quiet and it worked out well when he missed the start, " Gauci said.

"The only way I was only going to get cover was going back to last and I was lucky enough to follow Orbit Express.

"I knew he was a horse who was going to take me forward into a winning position if we were good enough."

After getting shelter from the strong home straight head wind, Gauci peeled off the heels of Orbit Express approaching the 200 metres and King Hoaks flashed down the centre of the track to win easily.

"I knew I was going alright at the 200m," Gauci said.

Gauci's previous Standish wins were on the Angus Armanasco-trained True Version (1986), Jolly Old Mac (1992) for John Sadler and John Hawkes-trained pair Whistle Up (1999) and Upright (2000).

Bennett, who is based at Moe, said the Bagot was her biggest win before the Standish.

"It is fantastic," Bennett said.

"I was a bit concerned about barrier 11 but when he started to unleash that sprint I got a bit excited.

"I was jumping up and down like an idiot."

King Hoaks, whose dam My Nancy died last year, was aimed at the Standish after he won down the straight on the last day of Melbourne Cup Carnival but lost form at his last two starts on rain affected tracks.

The five-year-old son of King Charlemagne has won seven of his 25 starts and Bennett is now considering a Group One campaign featuring the Lightning Stakes and the Newmarket Handicap as options.

"There are a couple of big sprints down the straight so we might have a look at them," Bennett said.