Jockey Lee Horner said Marlo Man was being set by trainer Jackson Pallot for the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase, 4500m, at Sportsbet Ballarat on August 20.

Marlo Man ($11) made short work of his rivals in Ballarat on Sunday, leading all the way in the $30,000 E-Cycle Solutions Steeplechase, 3200m.

He took the frontrunning and always had a space over his rivals before beating Transcript ($4.80) by five lengths, with Western Kingdom  ($2.70 favourite) third

Horner said he had been positive from the gate and solid on the line.

He said Marlo Man was a one-dimensional awkward type, the reason he liked leading and racing on the bigger tracks – and the prime reason he had raced on the Ballarat circuit seven times.

This gives him three wins, all over the fences, on the circuit.

Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse continued her great association with Ballarat with Bonfire ($2.60 favourite) taking the $30,000 E-Cycle Solutions Hurdle, 3200m.

Waterhouse has won a Ballarat Cup and Magic Millions 2yo Clockwise Classic.

The imported Bonfire was having only his third jumps start and back up from two runs in three days at the Warrnambool May Carnival for a fourth and third.