Trainers and jockeys are ready for barriers to swing open for the 2026 listed $150,000 Bunbury Cup (2000m) and Stakes (1400m) with multiple locals competing for glory at their home track this Saturday.
Father and daughter trainer combo Robert and Kate Witten, Rebecca Bayliss and Michael Lane all have a runner in the cup while Uduc-based jockey Lucy Fiore rides in the cup and stakes.
The Wittens have Fly With Caution in the cup with the five-year-old gelding a third generation family horse.
Rob bred Fly With Caution from their horse Be So Ryski with Rob’s mother Dawn and son Craig owning the horse, giving it the true family racing experience.
Rob has had two previous runners in the cup, both finishing last, while former jockey Kate finished fifth in her only ride in the big race.
Both spoke of how much it would mean to win it together.
“It would be a bit of a thrill and I think everyone that trains wants to win their home cup, so it would be extra special if we could do it,” Rob said.
“His work on Tuesday was pretty good. If he’s in front at the 200m mark it’ll be very hard to get past him,” Kate said. “We can’t really go into it any better.”
Rob said Fly With Caution had never run a bad race and was “pretty tough”.
“We’re confident he’ll run a really good race, whether he wins or not, that’s just something for on the day,” he said.
A key lead up race to the cup is the Detonator Stakes at Ascot over 1800m two weeks before the cup, where Fly With Caution ran seventh but was leading with only 75m to go until multiple horses ran over the top of him.
“He had a little bit of a setback prior to the Detonator, so he went into that not underdone but he certainly needed the run and since then he’s been spot on we’ve had no issues,” Rob said.
Rebecca Bayliss’ Rudhyar has come from the clouds to be a part of the cup.
“Last preparation we thought we’d be retiring him, we couldn’t keep him sound and he just had little issues,” she said.
“We gave him four months off and he’s come back a different horse, so after the win at Pinjarra we thought we may as well have a throw at the stumps.”
The wizard William Pike gave the nine-year-old gelding Rudhyar the extra lift over the line last start at Pinjarra giving the horse his first win since December 2024 and seventh in 30 career starts.
Bayliss will be hoping Tash Faithfull can give Rudhyar the same treatment in the cup, giving her first runner plenty of hope.
“He’s been going really well, he’s exceeded my expectations this preparation,” she said. “The way he won last start he’s definitely a sneaky chance.”
In-form local trainer Michael Lane has Redback Flyer in the cup who has won five out of its first 12 starts.
“He’s in good condition, everything’s gone to plan so no dramas and happy with him for Saturday,” Lane said.
“Winning the cup as the home-town boy would be great, it would definitely mean a lot more than the other races.”
Local jockey Lucy Fiore is aboard Jason Miller’s Fat Roy Slim who finished the Detonator Stakes in ninth after not getting clear in running.
Fiore will be the lone representative from the South West in the stakes, riding quality mare London’s Image who is nominal favourite after her last-start Pinjarra Classic (1300m) win with Fiore and co-trainers Grant and Alana Williams.
“She won’t have any trouble with a step up to 1400m,” Fiore said. “I expect her to win at 1400m, 1500m, 1600m and upwards.”
