There will be tears if Far Too Easy can fulfil Chris Caserta’s Group 1 prophecy in Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm

Late jockey Chris Caserta predicted Far Too Easy would win a Group 1, and it would mean the world to his family and connections if it came true in the Stradbroke Handicap.

Matt Caserta was screaming at the top of his lungs.

Then he broke down in tears and sobbed uncontrollably.

It was when Far Too Easy powered to victory in the $2m The Kosciuszko on The Everest day at Randwick in Sydney last year.

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It was a magic moment which Matt Caserta felt honoured the memory of his much-loved late twin brother Chris, the jockey who tragically drowned when going for a Surfers Paradise swim in 2021.

Chris Caserta rode Far Too Easy at the galloper’s first two wins at Grafton in 2021 and told his twin brother that David McColm’s horse was a future Group 1 star.

It hasn’t eventuated yet, even though Far Too Easy has been a star and won almost $2.4m in prizemoney.

But it could come to pass on Saturday in the Stradbroke Handicap.

Matt Caserta with twin brother Chris Caserta (top left), Chris riding Far Too Easy to a win in his first race in June 2021 at Grafton, and a special plaque in the Eagle Farm jockeys' room honouring the memory of Chris Caserta. Pictures: Matt Caserta and Trackside Photography

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“I was in my car watching the race on my phone when Far Too Easy won The Kosciuszko, I was screaming at the top of my lungs to get him home and then I broke down in tears when he won,” Matt Caserta said.

“It was Chris’s favourite horse and from the first time he jumped on it, he told me it would be something very special.

“Every time the horse races, I watch it.

“I’ll be watching on Saturday and hoping the horse can win again and win a Group 1 like Chris said he would one day.”

Far Too Easy too strong in The Kosciuszko! 🏔️

What a story for David McColm! @[e-mail]/muhYEGZIHP

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 19, 2024

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Unbeknown to Matt Caserta until Racenet told him, there is a special memorial plaque in the Eagle Farm jockeys’ room which honours the late Chris Caserta.

Sydney jockey Regan Bayliss will ride the Murwillumbah-trained horse Far Too Easy in the Stradbroke and there won’t be a dry eye in the house if he wins.

Far Too Easy is the horse who has cheated death – surviving deadly floods which have swept through his stable and also battling serious illness – to become a racing miracle.

After a couple of uncustomary poor runs following his dazzling Kosciuszko triumph, Far Too Easy was back to form when finishing runner-up behind Stradbroke favourite War Machine in the Group 3 BRC Sprint.

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It convinced McColm to set his stable star loose on the Stradbroke.

Far Too Easy is a $26 chance in the Stradbroke and War Machine, who beat him by 2½ lengths in the BRC Sprint, is the raging favourite.

However, there is a weight swing in Far Too Easy’s favour.

Far Too Easy carried 59kg in the BRC Sprint and plunges to 52.5kg for the Stradbroke.

War Machine carried 56.5kg in the BRC Sprint and drops to 53kg in the Stradbroke.

Originally published as There will be tears if Far Too Easy can fulfil Chris Caserta’s Group 1 prophecy in Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm