By MIKE DILLON
Bel Air was yesterday posted as favourite for the $A300,000 Adelaide Cup on May 21 on the strength of his Hawkes Bay Cup win.
The vastly improved Takanini stayer is at 4-1 ($5) for the 3200m feature, a rating which was clearly influenced by the decision of Bruce Marsh to take another dashing up and comer, Citi Habit, to the Queensland winter carnival instead of South Australia.
The highly rated Citi Habit scored a big win over 2000m at Te Rapa on Saturday in his first middle distance start this campaign and Marsh said yesterday he would love to see the horse in the $A500,000 Brisbane Cup on June 11.
"He can run in the Chairman's Handicap on the 12th and we'll decide his programme after that, but I've always felt he is a 3200m horse, despite the lovely turn of foot he has," said Marsh.
The Woodville trainer knew he had a good horse in Citi Habit when he finished close up behind the placegetters in the Queensland Derby last year on an inadequate preparation.
"The owners wanted him to run in the Derby and he'd had only a 1400m race when he left New Zealand.
"He finished up only a nose from Giovana, who was fifth, and she went on to blow them away in the Queensland Oaks.
"It was a terrific run, one in which he galloped like a really nice emerging stayer.
"And you have to remember that was a great Derby field with Freemason winning it and Fairway among the runners."
Marsh has also set Paddy Malone for the Brisbane Cup and was delighted with his fourth in the Hawkes Bay Cup.
"He'd had only one sprint run going into Saturday's race, so it was a big effort."
Marsh believes the Brisbane Cup will not end up with a strong field.
"Watching the Sydney Cup on Saturday it looks as though the Australian stayers are struggling to stay up and it can't get better for Brisbane.
"Both Citi Habit and Paddy Malone are fit horses with fresh legs."
Marsh is also taking his Derby winner Hail and class short distance horse Cheiron.
Hail trials at Foxton today after which Marsh will decide his Queensland programme based on fitness.
"There is a 1200m 3-year-old race, which he'll probably get too much weight in and then there is the 1600m Doomben Classic.
"I'd like to run him in the Classic if he proves he's fit enough for the 1600m."
Bel Air is being flown to Australia on Friday night on the same flight as fellow Adelaide Cup hopeful Likely Story.
Lance O'Sullivan missed the Hawkes Bay Cup win on Bel Air on Saturday because of heavy commitments at Te Rapa, but has confirmed with owner and trainer Peter Walker he will ride the horse in Adelaide.
Bel Air and Likely Story will have a lead-up in the $A150,000 Carlton Draft Stakes (2500m) on Saturday week, nine days before the Cup.
O'Sullivan is not available for that race and Melbourne rider Brett Prebble has been engaged.
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