Widely regarded as one of the world’s emerging great jockeys, James McDonald’s 2024 may have been soured late in the day by a suspension and fine for his carelessness which led to Lyle Hewitson’s frightening fall at Sha Tin on Sunday 15 December. But Lyle thankfully emerged shaken and ready to soldier forward – so life goes on.
In a year where we celebrated Richard Fourie’s extraordinary rescripting of our own history books, James McDonald took on the world and emerged victorious.
James McDonald with his Longines accolade – which he received for the second time (Pic – HKJC)
He left Hong Kong on 22 December with a glorious four-timer and returns to his home base in Sydney to serve out his suspension and reflect on an extraordinary year where he rode 168 winners at a strike-rate of 27%.
J-Mac won 19 different Gr1 races across the calendar year in three different countries. His previous best annual total was 15, and he has raced to 106 Gr1 victories at record speed. Think about the fact that he is only 32 years old!
He was crowned Longines World’s Best Jockey for the second time earlier this month and partnered Romantic Warrior to an historic victory in the Hong Kong Cup on 8 December. The champion world record earning thoroughbred arrived in Dubai just days ago to begin preparations for the Gr1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan on 24 January. In a twist of sweet timing, J-Mac’s suspension ends on 16 January 2025!
A few weeks before Romantic Warrior’s Sha Tin glory charge, McDonald cut a swathe through Cup Week at Flemington. His 11 victories included Via Sistina in the Champions Stakes, a fortnight after she and McDonald won the Cox Plate by eight lengths.
Overall, it’s been an amazing fifteen odd years.
Following his victory as New Zealand’s Champion Apprentice in 2007/08 with 89 wins, McDonald catapulted himself into the spotlight and began envisioning ambitious goals.
Sir Peter Vela, Principal of Pencarrow Stud and a member of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, was pivotal in the top jock’s journey.
Reflecting on their initial meeting, Vela vividly recalled recognising McDonald’s extraordinary potential from day one.
“He was the leading apprentice jockey and I did the presentation. I knew the boy’s family, but I’d never met him. He came up to get his prize and he thanked me, looked me in the eye and said, I can’t wait to ride in the blue and white hoops. And I thought, this boy’s going to go places”.
Vela gave McDonald his first break. James was just 16 and he nominated the kid to ride his horses.
John O’Shea was the first Aussie trainer to recognize McDonald’s talent and transferred him to Sydney for a brief stint in the 2011 off-season. When O’Shea was given the ticket to train the Godolphin blue army, McDonald came with him.
“I wouldn’t have been brave enough to go to Australia without John O’Shea,” McDonald said.
Making an immediate impact, McDonald piloted two winners during a mid-winter Randwick meeting, one for O’Shea and another for Anthony Cummings.
Although James McDonald’s career began auspiciously, it wasn’t without its challenges for the young Kiwi.
Balancing his time between Australia and New Zealand, before ultimately relocating permanently in 2012, McDonald encountered difficulties adapting to the Sydney riding scene.
Initially securing only 20 wins in the 2011/12 season and 53 wins in the 2012/13 season, J-Mac openly acknowledges the hurdles he faced during this period.
“It wasn’t smooth sailing by all means,” McDonald said. “I was actually really lucky I had John (O’Shea) backing me because there were a lot of owners in his stable that didn’t want to put me on and he stood firm”.
McDonald then piloted horses like Astern, Contributor, and Hartnell (GB) to victory for O’Shea in the Godolphin blue and remains deeply appreciative of his enduring support.
In terms of pivotal horses in his career, it was ironically a New Zealand native that McDonald credits for his success. Partnering the Murray Baker-trained Dundeel (NZ) in all 10 of his career wins, he recalls a defining moment in the horse’s career that significantly influenced his own.
“It’s all about opportunity. I think Dundeel fast-tracked that process, because he captured everyone’s imagination by winning the Rosehill Guineas by eight lengths and a Derby by eight lengths. I suppose he was the horse that led me to a lot of opportunities”.
Dundeel will probably be best related to by South Africa racing fans as the sire of Zietsman Oosthuizen’s much loved, but ill-fated flagbearer, Atyaab, who gave us so much joy a few years back.
McDonald is not overwhelmed by his own status. He is modest but confident. At 32, he has breezed through 106 elite level winners and is poised to become the most successful jockey in history.
“I enjoy my own space, my own downtime. There are enough things to keep my feet on the ground. Having kids does that,” says the man whose wife and mom accompanied him to the Longines HKIR Gala Dinner that we were privileged to attend recently.
“What has happened in the last four or five years has been amazing. I have to admit I never imagined how big it had become until I went back to New Zealand the last time and it was a bit crazy.”
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