Delosa creates history at Globe Derby

4 October 2026

ADAM HAMILTON 

RISING NSW star Ashleigh Delosa grabbed a piece of history with her win in last night’s Australian Drivers’ Championship at Globe Derby.

Delosa, 28, became the first female to beat the boys since the series was first run in 2014.

"It's crazy to think. It hasn't really sunk in yet," she said.

It was a dominant display with Delosa landing two wins (Delightful Dream and Places You Dont), two seconds and a third from her seven drives in a series that brought together 12 of Australia’s top drivers.

"That's amazing because when I looked through my drives, I didn't give myself much chance at all, to be honest. I didn't have many favoured drives," she said.

It was the third consecutive time Delosa has represented NSW in the series, finishing second at Globe Derby (behind Gary Hall Jr) in 2024 and sixth to James Herbertson in Hobart last year.

"Gary (Hall, Jr) only just beat me here in this series two years ago, so Globe Derby has been a great track to me," she said.

Until last night, Delosa’s second in 2024 and Dani Hill’s second in the 2015 series were the closest a female had come to winning the Championship.

Driving on a big stage is nothing new to Delosa, who became the equal second female to compete in the world’s richest pacing race, the TAB Eureka, in 2024.

Kate Gath was first when eighth on Catch A Wave in 2023, then Delosa (sixth on Major Delight) and Kerryn Manning (third on High Above) followed in 2024.

It was part of a huge 2024 for Delosa, who won her first Group 1 race on Sugar Pie Honey in the NSW Breeders Challenge 2YO fillies’ final on October 26.

She followed 30 minutes later with her only other Group 1 win on Golly Gee Fellas in the 3YO Fillies’ final.

"That's probably my biggest night, but winning this series comes very close to it," Delosa said.

Delosa has made a huge splash in a sport only got involved in at age of 19.

“I worked in a couple of clothing stores and it wasn’t for me, so I got a job working for Grant Dixon (trainer of champion pacer Leap To Fame) in 2017," she said.

"I'd ridden horses, but didn't know anything about harness racing before going to Grant's, so it all grew from there."

Delosa then moved from Queensland to NSW with partner Chris Geary in 2021.

Harness racing is the second sport the multi-talented Delosa has represented her state in at a national level.

She was a top sprinter as a teenager and flew the Queensland flag at the nationals.

"Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about that. I was a sprinter back in my day and represented the state a couple of times in the 200m and 400m," Delosa said.

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PHOTO: Walter Bulyga