Trainer Mike Moroney is leaning towards keeping Butwaittheresmore home at Flemington for the Bagot Handicap rather than venturing west for the Perth Cup.Both staying features are on New Year's Day and the six-year-old staked his claim for one of them with his win in Saturday's $100,000 Cleanevent Hcp (2500m) on his home track.Desperately ridden by Chris Symons, Butwaittheresmore ($10) wore down the Robbie Laing-trained Bagot aspirant Titus Vinius ($4.20 fav) to score by a nose with race leader I

Trainer Mike Moroney is leaning towards keeping Butwaittheresmore home at Flemington for the Bagot Handicap rather than venturing west for the Perth Cup.

Both staying features are on New Year's Day and the six-year-old staked his claim for one of them with his win in Saturday's $100,000 Cleanevent Hcp (2500m) on his home track.

Desperately ridden by Chris Symons, Butwaittheresmore ($10) wore down the Robbie Laing-trained Bagot aspirant Titus Vinius ($4.20 fav) to score by a nose with race leader Interlocking ($4.40), also most likely heading to the Bagot, a long head away third.

"We'll toss it (a decision on a trip to Perth) around," Moroney said.

"There's a nice race here too so we'll discuss it with the owners and have a think about it.

"We haven't got a lot of time to make our minds up. First thoughts are it's probably easier to stay here rather than to have a go at the other race."

Butwaittheresmore had won only two races from 27 starts before Saturday, his previous wins being as a three-year-old, over 1600 metres at Ellerslie three years ago and over 1980 metres at Tatura more than 2-1/2 years ago.

That same season he ran sixth to C'est La Guerre in the New Zealand Derby (2400m) and 11th to Nom Du Jeu in the AJC Australian Derby (2400m).

Since his previous win he had been placed in the 2008 Bendigo Cup (2400m) and over staying trips at Caulfield and Flemington.

The gelding was having his fifth run this campaign on Saturday and had been placed over 2500 and 3000 metres at Moonee Valley at his past two outings.

"He's just taken a long time to get fit. Possibly I stepped him up to 3000 metres a run too soon," Moroney said.

"He'll get it eventually but at this stage it is a little bit too far him."

The Listed $150,000 Bagot is over 2500 metres while Group Two $424,000 Perth Cup is over 2400 at Ascot.

"He's a rather strong sort of horse and I think he'd be able to handle the travelling but there are two or three nice horses in the Perth Cup and the softer option would be to stay here."

Butwaittheresmore has the minimum 52kg in the Perth Cup for which the Chris Waller-trained Triple Honour is topweight with 59.5kg.

Triple Honour ran fourth behind Perth Cup prospects Colour Correct, Admiring and Big Ted in the C B Cox Stakes (2100m) at Ascot on Saturday.