KEARNEYS READY FOR BIGGEST DAY AT THE TRACK

THURSDAY: October 2, 2025: IT’S a day Mitch and Desiree Kearney probably thought might never come around!

For the first time the popular Hawkesbury husband and wife trainers will have runners in feature races at Royal Randwick on Saturday – and on debut to boot.

The couple’s I Am Invincible colt Iambubb contests the Group 3 Breeders’ Plate (1000m), and Yes Yes Yes filly Oh Yes She Did lines up in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).

Tyler Schiller rode both two-year-olds in their Kensington official two-year-old trial victories on September 22, and partners them again.

Taking “babies’ to headquarters for Group races is a far cry from trekking bush to try to win races with cast-offs who were online purchases for not a lot of money.

Thanks to close friend Daniel Springfield, who had a big win away from the track and wanted to get more involved in the racing industry as an owner, Team Kearney’s stable was bolstered considerably when he bought a bevy of yearlings earlier this year.

As a result, the couple has 14 two-year-olds, including a Trapeze Artist filly which they bought themselves.

Understandably, the Kearneys are looking forward to Saturday and ready to enjoy the experience – win, lose or draw.

“Mitch and Will Brewer (Desiree’s brother) are a little nervous, and I am excited,” Mrs Kearney said this morning.

“We’ll be leaving home at 9.30am, and there will be no shortage of support for our two runners.

“Daniel and his partner Jas have plenty of family and friends going, and apart from Mitch and myself, we will have two strappers and our son Jack to help them.”

Being such an important day for the Kearneys, the couple has invited the horses’ trackwork riders Will Brewer and Maya Trinajastic to be their attendants for the youngsters’ respective races.

“Will rides Iambubb and will look after him, and Maya rides the filly (Oh Yes She Did) and will be her strapper,” Mrs Kearney said.

“They have played their part in getting the horses ready, and deserve the opportunity to strap them at their debuts.”

IambBubb (a $270,000 Inglis Classic buy) is at $41 for the Breeders’ Plate, and Oh Yes She Did ($240,000 purchase at the same sale) is at $12 in a $6 the field Gimcrack market.

“The two youngsters have been working together at Hawkesbury, and there has been nothing between them,” Mrs Kearney said.

“Our physio lady has been over both horses this work, and said they are 100 per cent.”

Iambubb clocked 50.57 seconds (last 600m in 33.82s) in winning his 850m Kensington trial, and Oh Yes She Did ran 50.88 secs (last 600m in 34.09s) in also being first home in her trial.

“Irrespective of the fact each two-year-old qualified for Saturday’s races, the best part was the education they got out of the trials,” Mrs Kearney said.

“Iambubb took a gap between horses in the straight, and Oh Yes She Did accelerated nicely when she got into the clear.

“We have seven two-year-olds in work at present, and they were the two we wanted to qualify for the Breeders’ Plate and Gimcrack Stakes.

“Obviously their performances on Saturday and how they come through the races will determine whether we push on any further with them.

“We are looking at next February’s Inglis Millennium at Randwick being a good target for Oh Yes She Did.”The Kearneys missed out on a $400,000 Pink Bonus bonanza opportunity when their filly Sheeza Diva (a $15,000 buy at last year’s Inglis Classic yearling sale) was the first of her sex home when Newcastle colt Rivellino won this year’s race.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t eligible due to a missed registration form deadline.

“That won’t happen this time, and hopefully something good will come out of something bad,” Mrs Kearney concluded.