Fresh from the official presentation of the 2024 World’s Best Jockey Award, James McDonald is aiming for more success in Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin.
A proud McDonald, who is on a short riding stint in Hong Kong until he returns to Sydney on 22 December, was formally announced as the World’s Best Jockey Award winner during a special ceremony and presentation at the Hong Kong International Races Gala Dinner at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday evening.
It was the second time Australia-based McDonald has won the award, after first winning it in 2022.
He won nine of the world’s top 100 Group 1 features from December 2023 until November 30, 2024 – Hong Kong Cup (Romantic Warrior), Stewards’ Cup (Voyage Bubble), Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (Romantic Warrior), Ranvet Stakes (Via Sistina), FWD QEII Cup (Romantic Warrior), Yasuda Kinen (Romantic Warrior), W.S. Cox Plate (Via Sistina), VRC Champions Sprint (Sunshine in Paris) and VRC Champions Stakes (Via Sistina).
The 32-year-old held onto win the award by just 10 points from four-time winner, Englishman Ryan Moore (150). William Buick was third with 105 points.
Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, six points for second, and four points for third in races which feature in the World’s Top 100 Group 1 races.
Moore, needed a victory aboard Auguste Rodin in last month’s Japan Cup to leapfrog McDonald but finished eighth to Do Deuce, ridden by Japanese legend Yutaka Take.
McDonald was presented with a watch from LONGINES Chief Executive Officer Matthias Breschan and a crystal vase by The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, in his role as Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
McDonald finished third in the award last year. Frankie Dettori, who is also a four-time winner, was second.
Now with a career total of 104 Group 1 victories, four of McDonald’s eligible winners in the competition, were on champion Hong Kong stayer Romantic Warrior who he rides in Sunday’s HK$40 million Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
McDonald is bidding to create history with Romantic Warrior becoming the first horse to win three editions of the Hong Kong Cup.
His rides in the other three features are Ensued in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m), Howdeepisyourlove in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and Voyage Bubble in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
McDonald said he didn’t expect to win another World’s Best Jockey title and this time it probably meant more because he’d now won it twice.
“When you look at Frankie (Dettori) winning four and Ryan (Moore) winning four, it’s such a hard award to win and it’s such a long season and you’re so consistent and to be able to be part of a big horse’s journey and at the moment I’m blessed because I’ve got two (Romantic Warrior and Via Sistina),” he said.
McDonald said he had idolised past winners Dettori, Moore and Hugh Bowman and aspired to be as good as them.
Since winning the first award, McDonald said he now believes he is mentally stronger, which has been helped with overseas exposure.
“And nothing beats experience and I think the ultimate and third thing I have learnt is that to be to cope with what Frankie, Ryan and Hughie (Bowman) have been able to do and ride champion race horses and to be able to cope with the sort of pressure,” he said.
“Look, I thoroughly enjoy it and I think it is a very privileged position to be in and I think that’s grown on me to be able to ride great race horses on the biggest stage whether it’s Royal Ascot or Hong Kong International meeting.”
Despite the early morning starts and continual race meetings in Australia, McDonald says he loves what he does and doesn’t see it as a job.
“Romantic Warrior, I keep bringing him up, but he has taken me to a new level that I didn’t think was possible,” McDonald said.
“There is no doubt you have doubts about things and I think until you feel it, breath it, you won’t ever get to that level and now I just embrace the animal I am riding and embrace the race that we are riding in and I know for a fact that on Sunday the Hong Kong Cup means a hell of a lot to not only myself and the connections that are physically involved in him.”
With such a big fan following, McDonald said he was also riding Romantic Warrior for Hong Kong, who he described as everyone’s horse, and hoped to be part of the history of riding the gelding to a record third Hong Kong Cup.
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