Queensland hobby trainer Craig Cousins is embracing the nerves ahead of The Inflictor’s shot at the $2 million Five Diamonds at Rosehill.

“I’m excited, and normally if I’m excited and get a bit nervous, he always races well,” Cousins said.

A truck driver by trade, Cousins trains three horses on the side from stables located behind his 90-year-old mother’s house in Brisbane.

While delivering firewood and particle board pays his bills, it’s racing that fuels his passion — and The Inflictor has rewarded that passion in style.

The gelding has earned more than $700,000 in 29 starts, highlighted by victory in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June. His third placing behind Five Diamonds rival Transatlantic in the Prelude (1500m) at Randwick was a career highlight for his trainer.

“That was the greatest racing day of my life. You would have thought I’d won,” he said.

The Inflictor steps to 1800m for the first time, but Cousins is encouraged by jockey Alysha Collett’s confidence.

“I said to Alysha, ‘I’m a bit worried about the 1800.’ She said, ‘Craig, I know the horse now and I’ll ride him to run the 1800.’”

Cousins comes from a long line of hobby trainers in Tasmania and has been around horses for 45 years — but he never imagined sharing a feature race with the likes of Chris Waller, William Haggas, Tony Gollan and Ciaron Maher.

“If he runs top three Saturday, I’ll be a very happy man,” he said.

If you’re having a bet on the Five Diamonds, compare prices at the Australian betting sites list.