David McColm and Far Too Easy face Magic Millions Cup Mission Impossible: ‘It’s heartbreaking’

Far Too Easy is known for his devastating turn of foot and will need to produce all of it to win the $1m Magic Millions Cup on Saturday from a nightmare barrier.

David McColm’s Far Too Easy. Picture: Trenton Akers

David McColm admits he is staring down the barrel of Mission Impossible in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) with Far Too Easy after drawing a nightmare barrier 21 in the $1m showdown.

The Murwillumbah trainer has overcome all sorts of hurdles with his boom horse, but faces the toughest one of his career, with the trainer hoping for rain on Saturday at the Gold Coast to bring his horse into the race.

Far Too Easy has been a sensation for @DavidMccolm2 😍

Denying a $1 million offer for the gelding in the early stages of his racing career was something McColm didn’t take lightly, but he was willing to take the punt – and it paid off.

Now pocketing over $1.2 million in prize… pic.twitter.com/JK8QR4acZg

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) January 11, 2024

Far Too Easy has been a solid $4.80 favourite in betting, and McColm says he will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to grab the prize.

“It’s heartbreaking,” McColm said. “I don’t know what to do, we are going to hope for some rain on the day, it may not be such a bad thing if that’s the case.

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“If it gets to a Good 4, it’s going to be difficult. If we get showers an hour or two before the race, I will be jumping for joy.

“He will be running on, if he had of drawn one to five, I would have been concerned about that too because he would get boxed in.

“At least he will get a run out there, we are just hoping we can get a bit of cover.

“He has overcome a lot of adversity, he seems to be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat.”

Far Too Easy is a wet track specialist. Picture: Grant Peters — Trackside Photography.

McColm isn’t alone when it comes to bad barriers, with second favourite Zarastro also out in the cheap seats.

“Zarastro has drawn next to him and will go forward, so hopefully he drags a few over with him,” McColm said.

“If it was 1200m I’d say no chance we could go back to last, over 1400m here he can smoke the pipe a bit out the back, if there’s speed on I really think he will be running home.”

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McColm was forced to travel his star sprinter south to gallop him on Tuesday after Murwillumbah was lashed by 130mm of rain on Monday, closing the track.

“He was probably ready to go last week, we have had to hold him together this week,” McColm said.

Far Too Easy was an enormous winner of the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes in soft conditions at Eagle Farm a month ago, with punters backing him into an odds-on quote when it rained on the day.

He is set to be aimed at the Queensland winter this year, with McColm dreaming of winning the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Originally published as David McColm and Far Too Easy face Magic Millions Cup Mission Impossible: ‘It’s heartbreaking’