In 1971 former Prime Minister, the late Malcolm Fraser, famously said 'life wasn't meant to be easy' and that statement befits emerging trainer Mitchell Kearney.
Kearney, 30, faces the daily challenges of juggling the training of eight horses, a full-time job driving for Prestige Racehorse Transport and raising his two young children with his wife Desiree who also works alongside her husband in the stables.
"There's plenty of challenges but we get through it," Kearney said. "Luckily for us Desiree's mum helps us with the kids, without her help we probably couldn't do it.
"Naturally we love what we do but I'm sure you've heard that before.
"I'd love to become a full-time trainer one day and if the opportunity arises I'll take it with open hands."
His love for racing was started by his relationship with his uncle, former Queensland jockey Chris Kearney. He hoped he would one day follow in his footsteps but weight stopped his dream of becoming a jockey.
Kearney did his apprenticeship working for Malcom Johnston and at Muskoka Farm where he spent more than 12 years and has now been training part-time for almost six years.
His breakthrough winner was Silk Spun on his home track at Hawkesbury in July 2014.
In all, his 90 runners have won 11 races and he hopes current stable star Eerised, his wife's name Desiree backwards, can be the horse to make people sit up and take notice.
The gelding runs on Wednesday at Canterbury In the Australian Turf Club Benchmark 75 Handicap (1900m).
Eerised is by little-known stallion Widden Valley, who stands in Victoria for the paltry fee of $2000 and he is out of the first horse Kearney purchased, two-time winner Fabulash.
In the autumn of his three-year-old season, Eerised indicated staying promise when at $151 he finished fourth behind Mongolian Wolf in the Group III Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
Group Races TONIGHT! Watch MONGOLIAN WOLF win the G3 Frank Packer Plate & get free form for the rest of the card: https://t.co/wwyJIkQiibpic.twitter.com/3xXPpq1fCU
— Sky Racing World (@SkyRacingWorld) April 15, 2017
"Mentally he's taken forever," Kearney said. "He's getting better with every run but he's still not the finished article."
Eerised resumed this campaign at Kembla but it was his latest effort over the mile at Warwick Farm when only beaten 1-3/4 lengths after suffering an impeded run in the straight that suggest he's a horse to follow closely in the coming weeks.
Sir Barb surges late to edge out Arigold and Fortensky in the fifth event at #WarwickFarm. Congratulations @ClareCRacing! 👏pic.twitter.com/Z4c6fFfb6D
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 23, 2017
"He wants ground," Kearney said. "Canterbury's probably not his ideal track but the 1900m will be more to his liking.
"I'm really happy with how the horse is coming along and Tye's (Angland) manager rang wanting to stick with the horse and for a small trainer like myself that's a big thing, it gives me confidence we're on the right path.
"We're working towards the City Tattersall's Club Cup. Hopefully he can continue to go the right way and measure up."
CrownBet has Eerised priced at $17 for his Wednesday target at Canterbury.
