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By Ray Hickson

Trainer David McColm is considering giving ruling Newhaven Park Country Championships favourite Far Too Easy a look at Sydney before the $500,000 Final in April after confirming his standing with a gritty win at Grafton on Saturday.

David McColm (left) and Far Too Easy after winning the Newhaven Park NRRA Country Championships at Grafton.

It’d been a “pressure cooker” week for the Murwillumbah trainer with the three-year-old in the spotlight and heavily backed to win the series prior to taking out the Northern Rivers Country Championships (1400m) and now sits on top of betting at $4.50 with TAB.

McColm described the win as a big relief after a week that tested his ability to cope with the attention, especially considering his lifestyle needs following a bleed on the brain and cavernoma diagnosis a decade ago.

“It’s a massive relief, it takes a lot of pressure off. We knew there’s no guarantees of anything, we were confident but he had to do it tough to get there,’’ McColm said.

“The pressure’s been quite immense for me because I don’t handle pressure well at the best of times.

“Now we’ve made it I can take a step back and enjoy it a bit more.”

The gelding overcame an awkward alley and a wide run, albeit with some cover, to narrowly defeat a game Zoukina ($4.40) with Parksville ($6) completing a popular trifecta less than a length away.

“We’re super proud of him. It’s a massive achievement from the horse,’’ McColm said.

“We’re going to have to give him a start between now and the big one. Where that is I’m not 100 per cent sure just yet.

“I waited to see where we end up after today so now I can go home and map out a bit of a plan for him.”

There’s no doubt it’d be easier for McColm to find a race closer to Murwillimbah but he said a trip to Sydney could be beneficial as he’ll need to be able to handle the travel for the Final.

It could also give the trainer an opportunity to select a rider for the $500,000 race on Day 1 of The Star Championships given he’s already had interest from the likes of James McDonald and Jason Collett.

Jockey Ashley Morgan was on board at Grafton and he said he did his best to “stay out of the horse’s way” in steering him home though it didn’t go all to plan.

“He’s a really nice horse. I set him a task,’’ Morgan said.

“I said to David before the race it’s my job to stay out of the way and if I can get cover to get cover and I landed three deep with cover.

“When I got into him he picked up straight away. He was entitled to be vulnerable late. He’s got good energy and a lot of heart too.”

Runner-up Zoukina’s trainer Stephen Lee took plenty of heart out of his mare’s performance given the raps on Far Too Easy.

Far Too Easy wins the NRRA Country Championships at Grafton

The five-year-old made her run with the winner early in the straight and responded when she was clearly headed giving the Ballina trainer an indication that she can be competitive at Randwick.

“The encouraging part was I think she was taking a bit of ground off him at the end,’’ he said.

“We have a while to the final so we will have another run. I like the way she was attacking that horse on the line.

“I think he’s going to be the horse to beat in the Final which makes me feel very good.”

Zoukina firmed from $51 into $15 for the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final with TAB.

All the results and replays from Saturday's Grafton meeting