While they are not the be all and end all of performance ratings, winning strike-rates can be a measure of how well a stable is travelling.
If that is the case, trainer David McColm is flying.
The Murwillumbah based trainer, who only returned to the training ranks at the start of the year after an eight-and-a-half month period away from the job, has only raced two horses since having his first runner back on February 27 this year and the results he has achieved with Far Too Easy and Our Rebel are quite extraordinary, speaking volumes of McColm’s expertise in terms of both preparing and placing his horses.
With fourteen runs between them since February, these two runners have posted no less than eight wins … four apiece … that’s a fifty-seven percent winning strike-rate!
Far Too Easy, who has won four out of his five starts, will line up in the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday where he will face several other Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas hopefuls in the form of Glorious Ruby, Miss Hipstar and Rhapsody Rose.
Far Too Easy currently sits twenty-first in the Order Of Entry for that race and a win on Saturday will secure his place in the final Magic Millions line-up.
Looking through Far Too Easy’s form-line does evoke a touch of sadness as the late Chris Caserta, who died so tragically earlier this month, rode Far Too Easy to the two, two-year-old victories when Far Too Easy kicked off his career.
Caserta was also in the saddle in Far Too Easy’s first start as a three-year-old and his presence is sure to be felt on Saturday whatever the outcome.
Far Too Easy comes into Saturday’s race off the back of a clear-cut 1.50 length win in the Winning Rupert over 1200m at Doomben on December 4 where he started as the dominant favourite at $1.95.
For his part, McColm’s other runner Our Rebel has also pulled his weight for the stable, also landing four wins since McColm resumed training.
Our Rebel has won up to Class 3 level but, arguably, his most remembered win was in his Maiden at Eagle Farm when he came home at odds of $101.
Michael Hellyer was in the saddle for McColm on that occasion … and Hellyer will be on Far Too Easy on Saturday.
With first place prize-money of $116 000 and a place in the big Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas beckoning, there will be plenty to race for as the McColm / Hellyer combination aim for another big day out.
