Ashleigh Delosa will drive leading hope Major Delight in the TAB Eureka on Saturday night

Relative harness racing newcomer Ashleigh Delosa is readying for her biggest drive to date with Major Delight in the TAB Eureka at Menangle on Saturday night.

Ashleigh Delosa will drive Major Delight in Saturday night's TAB Eureka

Gun young reinswoman Ashleigh Delosa will be aiming to cap off her meteoric harness racing rise when she drives Major Delight in the $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on Saturday night.

Delosa, 26, has rapidly become a shining light of Australian harness racing, enjoying sustained success as both a driver and trainer working for top NSW conditioner Rickie Alchin.

But Delosa’s path to potential TAB Eureka glory is anything but your conventional one, having only first become involved in harness racing in 2017.

“I had always loved horses and been around and ridden them but my first involvement (in harness racing) was when I started working for Grant Dixon in Queensland in 2017,” Delosa said.

“I grew up in Hervey Bay and made the call to move to Brisbane when I finished school. I worked at a few clothing stores but it just wasn’t for me. I really found my feet at Grant’s.

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“It was there I first got in a sulky and loved it and couldn’t wait to do it again.

“A few years ago I moved to Sydney to be with (partner) Chris (Geary) and with the way things have panned out and the opportunities

Ashleigh Delosa will drive Major Delight in the TAB Eureka Picture: Club Menangle

that have presented I can’t see myself moving home anytime soon.”

Before embarking on her flourishing career in harness racing, Delosa was a gifted runner, making Nationals as both a 200m and 400m sprinter.

And it’s that competitive background that Delosa believes has held her in good stead for the cutthroat, high stakes nature of harness racing.

“The sprinting background and that competitive edge has definitely crossed over,” she added.

“I loved to run and had hoped to go further with it but when I started working in harness racing it just became too demanding on my body.

“Growing up, Cathy Freeman was who I looked up to. I’ve read all her books. She’s a real inspiration of mine.”

On Saturday night, Delosa will drive the Emma Stewart-trained Major Delight in the second edition of the TAB Eureka, the world’s richest harness race.

Major Delight has lots in common with last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka winner Encipher, both being four-year-old mares trained by Emma Stewart.

Delosa is yet to taste defeat driving Major Delight, victorious at her four most recent starts, both in Sydney and Melbourne.

“She’s a big, tough mare that gives you so much confidence in the run,” Delosa, who has driven 110 career winners since 2021, said.

“When she got announced in The Eureka I was hoping to keep the drive and I’m really thankful for the chance to do so.

Major Delight scoring impressively at Menangle recently Picture: Club Menangle

“On Eureka night last year I was sitting in the stands watching and thinking what a thrill it would be to one day have a drive and a year later I’m here and on a leading chance.

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“The nerves haven’t really kicked in yet but that might be a different story as we get closer to the race. I’m just really looking forward to making the most of the occasion.”

Delosa is one of three female reinswoman to land drives in The Eureka, with Chantal Turpin to drive Wisper A Secret while Hall of Famer Kerryn Manning will drive High Above, another of the Emma Stewart runners.

“Kerryn is someone I really look up to in the industry,” Delosa said.

“She’s achieved just about everything there is to achieve and it’ll be great to be out there competing with her on Saturday night.”

Major Delight, drawn gate three, is at $6 with TAB Fixed Odds.

Originally published as Ashleigh Delosa will drive leading hope Major Delight in the TAB Eureka on Saturday night