McColm heads to the Gold Coast

By Glenn Davis

The Kosciuszko champion Far Too Easy won’t defend his crown in Sydney in the spring.

Murwillumbah trainer David McColm is relocating to the Gold Coast in July which will make Far Too Easy ineligible for the $2 million The Kosciuszko at Randwick in October.

“I’ve got 10 horses in work at Murwillumbah and I’ve been here for 30 years,” McColm said.

“But, from July, I’ll be training at the Gold Coast which means Far Too Easy won’t be eligible for The Kosciuszko as it’s a race for NSW-trained horses only.”

McColm revealed the primary reason for his Gold Coast move was for his son, Archie.

“There’s a few reasons for the move but primarily it’s for Archie,” McColm said.

“Archie is just starting up his apprenticeship and I think it’s best for him to be in an area which is more expansive.

“The Gold Coast is going well and in around five years it will be the epicenter for racing.”

While the pressure is off McColm to chase successive wins in The Kosciuszko, Far Too Easy will head to the BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday.

Melbourne jockey Craig Williams is sticking with Far Too Easy in the 1350 metre Group 3 feature despite his last start effort when he beat one runner home in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm on May 3.

McColm and Williams believe Far Too Easy wasn’t suited on a Good 4 surface at Eagle Farm.

“He was disappointing, but I spoke with Craig who said he didn’t let down in the race and he felt the track,” McColm said.

“Craig said he rode a couple of other horses that day and they raced the same.”

McColm said he was offered the chance by stewards to scratch Far Too Easy before the Victory Stakes but decided to press ahead after a phone with the gelding’s part-owners.

“I wanted permission to scratch from the Victory Stakes if I thought the track didn’t suit him and stewards rang me while I was on my way to Eagle Farm and offered me the chance to scratch,” he said.

“The choice we had was to scratch and run at the Gold Coast the following week, so I rang his part-owner and we decided to stick with the Victory Stakes.

“In hindsight, we should have gone to the Gold Coast as it was a wet day.”

McColm is hoping for some rain for Far Too Easy who will head to next month’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm if he races well.

“He doesn’t have to win but so long as he performs well, he’ll go to the Stradbroke next,” McColm said.

“If he doesn’t then we’ll probably look at the Eye Liner at Ipswich and the Glasshouse at the Sunshine Coast.

“I’m praying for a bit of rain as he loves the wet but the forecast doesn’t look promising.”