Crossword Genius

It's hard work to keep on the track of Virginia inside (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

travail

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'it's hard work' is the definition.
(travail can mean hard work or effort)

'keep on the track of virginia inside' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is found in the answer.
'virginia' could be 'va' (US state abbreviation) and 'va' is found within the answer.
'track' could be 'rail' (synonyms) and 'rail' is present in the remaining letters.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'to' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for travail that I've seen before include "Exertion, elbow grease" , "Hard work" , "Old word for pangs of childbirth" , "Labour, toil" , "Painful or laborious effort, like childbirth" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.
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