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‘It was the making of him’: The moment that transformed jockey James McDonald

James McDonald’s career trajectory is rising so rapidly he is already earning comparisons with the all-time great riders. Ray Thomas spoke with five of the best jockeys of recent years on what makes J-Mac so special.

Ray Thomas
11 min read
July 19, 2024 - 7:18AM
Jockey James McDonald has drawn praise from greats of the game, including (inset, clockwise from top left) Glen Boss, Jim Cassidy, Malcolm Johnston, Shayne Dye and (centre) Darren Beadman.
Jockey James McDonald has drawn praise from greats of the game, including (inset, clockwise from top left) Glen Boss, Jim Cassidy, Malcolm Johnston, Shayne Dye and (centre) Darren Beadman.

Champion jockey James McDonald’s career trajectory is rising so rapidly he is already earning comparisons with the all-time great riders.

McDonald is chasing a sixth consecutive Sydney jockey premiership in 2023-24 and if he claims the title at the end of this month, he will be only the third rider to achieve the feat.

Hall of Fame jockey Ron Quinton won six Sydney premierships in a row from 1978-79 to 1983-84 and the legendary George Moore won a record eight successive premierships from 1961-62 to 1968-69.

The jockey they call “J-Mac” leads this season’s premiership with 84 wins from nearest rival Nash Rawiller on 81 wins.

At Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, McDonald has a full book of 10 rides including early favourites Silvanito (race 3), Pure Alpha (race 4), Chorlton Lane (race 9) and Willaidow (race 10).

Rawiller has six Rosehill rides including favourite Age Of Sail (race 7) but he starts a short suspension after Saturday and will miss next Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting.

• J-Mac, Nash title fight ends up in stewards’ room

McDonald is also chasing a 50th stakes (Group or Listed) win for the season on Charterhouse in the Listed $200,000 Winter Challenge (1500m).

It has already been a sensational season for McDonald who has ridden 19 Group 1 winners – 14 in Australia, four in Hong Kong and one in Japan.

This takes McDonald to 77 Australian Group 1 winners so far in his career which ranks him 10th overall for most major wins in this country.

• ‘Biggest mistake of my career’: Why J-Mac shouldn’t move to Hong Kong

He’s won most of the nation’s biggest races including The Everest (Nature Strip, 2021), Melbourne Cup (Verry Elleegant, 2021), Cox Plate twice (Anamoe, 2022 and Romantic Warrior, 2023), three King Charles III Stakes (Verry Elleegant, 2021, Anamoe, 2022 and Fangirl, 2023), Golden Slipper (Mossfun, 2014) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (It’s a Dundeel, 2014).

McDonald has also won another 21 Group 1 races overseas with big race wins in Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and England.

This leaves McDonald on the cusp of 100 or more career Group 1 winners, a feat achieved by only four other Australian jockeys Damien Oliver (129 wins), George Moore (126), Hugh Bowman (106) and Jim Cassidy (104).

James McDonald comes back to scale winning aboard For Victory on Hawkesbury Cup Day in May. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
James McDonald comes back to scale winning aboard For Victory on Hawkesbury Cup Day in May. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

McDonald has now ridden 2163 career winners including 436 stakes races (Group or Listed level).

It’s an outstanding curriculum vitae that is comparable to the records of the great jockeys of yesteryear.

But remarkably, McDonald is still only 32 years of age. He seems to have been around forever given he has been competing at the top level of Sydney racing since he was a teenager.

There is a theory that the peak of a jockey’s career is between the ages of 35-45 so could McDonald get even better?

What is more likely is that McDonald will break most of the riding records over the next decade so we asked five champion jockeys and Hall of Famers – Darren Beadman, Glen Boss, Malcolm Johnston, Shane Dye and Malcolm Johnston – where “J-Mac” rates in the pantheon of the all-time greats.

The “fab five” have ridden against or worked closely with McDonald and provide a fascinating insight into what makes him so good – including the major indiscretion of his career, which Beadman described as the moment that “was the making of him”.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

GLEN BOSS
Group 1 wins: 90 (All in Australia)
Sydney premierships: Nil
Hall of Fame: 2015

Glen Boss congratulates James McDonald on his Cox Plate victory aboard Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior. Picture: Mark Stewart
Glen Boss congratulates James McDonald on his Cox Plate victory aboard Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior. Picture: Mark Stewart

Boss rates McDonald as “pound for pound” the best rider in the world.

“James and Ryan Moore are the two best jockeys in the world, there’s a breath between them,” Boss said.

“Ryan does get all the good rides from Coolmore but what I like about James is he goes anywhere and is successful.”

Boss then made a prediction that would be concerning for rival jockeys when he declared McDonald could continue to improve.

“James wants to get better, that’s the thing,” Boss said.

“He is always looking to improve and that will take him to the stratosphere

“In life, sport, whatever, someone comes along every 20 years or so and sets a very high bar – J-Mac is that person.”

Boss said McDonald’s superiority in the saddle was a combination of many factors including natural ability and work ethic.

“James is a hard worker, he lives and breathes the sport,” Boss said.

“When he is not thinking about racing he is thinking about the breeding side of the business.

“But he has a young family so he’s got a good work-life balance, and his wife, (former jockey) Katelyn, understands the sport which is a help.”

Champion jockey James McDonald and his wife, former jockey Katelyn. Picture: Jason Edwards
Champion jockey James McDonald and his wife, former jockey Katelyn. Picture: Jason Edwards

Boss said McDonald was also tactically very astute and had a rare innate ability to put his horses in the right positions during a race.

“What makes him a great jockey is his ability to be in the right spot at all times,” Boss said.

“He rarely gets suspended because he has great awareness of where he is and where others are around him.

“He has amazing timing, great balance and just has this incredible knack of avoiding trouble. If he gets held up or can’t get out, it is only every now and then and that’s just how it goes sometimes.

“The most perfect thing about riding is the imperfections and what can go wrong in a race but rarely do you see James make a tactical error or get into the wrong position.”

Boss revealed he had spoken to McDonald and urged the jockey to continue basing himself in Sydney and make the occasional Hong Kong forays for their major meetings.

“I’ve told James he doesn’t need to move to Hong Kong – he can keep doing both,” Boss said.

“Do you realise he was fifth in the prizemoney list in Hong Kong this season? He can stay in Sydney and go there when he’s asked because he has the connections in Hong Kong now.”

Boss said the biggest mistake of his career was moving to Hong Kong in 2006 when he was at the peak of his career.

“I thought I would go to Hong Kong and ride out my career there,” Boss said.

“I finished fourth in the premiership and had a good season but I missed riding in all the good races and the good horses back home.

“It’s the biggest mistake I made in my riding career. I look back on it now and think I should never have left.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

DARREN BEADMAN
Group 1 wins: 89 (Australia – 79)
Sydney premierships: 7
Hall of Fame: 2007

James McDonald (left) with Darren Beadman on Caulfield Cup Day in 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch
James McDonald (left) with Darren Beadman on Caulfield Cup Day in 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch

Beadman described McDonald as the “complete package” in the saddle.

“What I admire about ‘J-Mac’ is his competitiveness, how few mistakes he makes with his riding – he is just the ultimate professional,” Beadman said.

“He gives you great feedback after a ride and because I have been there and done it, I can read what he is saying and what he means.

“In the saddle, he has great balance, he’s one with the horse, and horses really respond to him. He’s a very polished rider, very neat, and he works with the horse.”

Beadman said McDonald was meticulous about his riding and “does his homework” on every runner.

“Before a race, you only have to give James a quick update on the horse, you don’t have to go into any depth about the race because he has already worked that out,” Beadman said.

“I’ve also noticed how quickly he can adapt to the changing circumstances of a race.

“He’s a very good athlete, very strong and fit and you want him in a tight finish because he doesn’t get beaten too often.”

Beadman said McDonald’s ability to cope with pressure was one of the jockey’s greatest assets.

“I remember watching James when he was just starting his career and he had that X-factor about him even then,” Beadman said.

“When you are so good at such a young age, it is hard to maintain that level of excellence all the way through, people get burned out.

“But James copes with the pressure so well. He has been doing it for such a long period of time and nothing seems to bother him.”

Beadman believes the 18-month disqualification McDonald was given for having a bet on Astern when it won at Randwick in 2016 has subsequently steeled him to make the most of his career in the saddle.

“I think that indiscretion he had with Astern was the making of him,” Beadman said.

“It gave James time to sit back, reflect and appreciate the gifts and talents he’s got. He has come back a better rider.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

MALCOLM JOHNSTON
Group 1 wins: 33 (All in Australia)
Sydney premierships: 3
Hall of Fame: 2018

Malcolm Johnston (left) with fellow Hall Of Famer Ron Quinton. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
Malcolm Johnston (left) with fellow Hall Of Famer Ron Quinton. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

“Miracle” Mal Johnston maintains James McDonald’s record ensures he has already earned his ranking alongside the greatest jockeys in Australian racing history.

“He doesn’t have to break any more records to go down as one of our greatest jockeys,” Johnston said.

“In my opinion, he’s the best I have ever, ever seen!”

This is some statement by Johnston who rode in a golden era of Sydney racing – but he doubled down when I asked him for clarification.

“When you look at ‘J-Mac”, horses just travel for him, they travel for him better than anyone else,” Johnston said.

“As a former jockey, I look for the little things like that because if a jockey can get a horse to travel well during a race, then it is going to finish the race off strongly.

“He also has this uncanny ability to find the right spot in a race almost every time.

“I don’t know how he does it – I had to ‘flatten’ them to get into a spot!”

Johnston, who is almost as famous for his record 52 suspensions as for his association with the legendary Kingston Town, said McDonald rode on instinct, a gift that came naturally and could not be taught.

“When I’m watching ‘J-Mac’, I notice he will make a decision either to go forward or back almost instinctively in a race,” Johnston said.

“He doesn’t wait for things to happen, he makes things happen and he does that better than anyone I have ever seen.

“Of course, he will make mistakes, he’s only human, and the focus is on him all the time because he’s usually on the best horse in the race.

“But if I had someone riding for my life, it would be James McDonald – he’s an absolute superstar.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

SHANE DYE
Group 1 wins: 96 (Australia – 89)
Sydney premierships: 2
Hall Of Fame: 2014

Legendary jockey Shane Dye. Picture: Adam Head
Legendary jockey Shane Dye. Picture: Adam Head

Dye declared McDonald would ride 200 Group 1 winners if he decided to continue his career in Australia.

“He could ride 200 Group 1 wins ‘easy’, no risk,” Dye said.

“If I had stayed in Australia I would have ridden 200 Group 1 winners but I went to Hong Kong when I was 33.

“It depends on what James wants. He has the best of both worlds at the moment so it all depends on whether he wants prestige and premierships, or if he wants to be wealthy.

“Premierships never mattered to me, I couldn’t care less. Premierships were irrelevant to me; it was Group 1 races that mattered to me.

“If James wants to win premierships and Group 1 races he can stay here, there is nothing wrong with that.

“But if he wants to be a very, very wealthy person he needs to go to Hong Kong. If he goes to Hong Kong he would make four to five times more every year than what he would make in Australia.”

Dye, who rode in a very competitive era in Sydney racing against champion jockeys like Mick Dittman, Ron Quinton, Jim and Larry Cassidy, Wayne Harris, John Marshall, Kevin Langby, Kevin Moses and Peter Cook, said if McDonald stayed in Sydney he would be the dominant jockey for years.

“James in a great position because he can ride for anyone,” Dye said.

“Back in my day, you were aligned to a stable, maybe two stables, so you couldn’t pick and choose too often.

“James is as good as Mick Dittman, Darren Beadman, Ron Quinton, Jimmy Cassidy and all the best I rode against – but he’s not better than them.

“I feel there were more champion jockeys in my era. Some say Peter Cook is one of the best ever but he hardly gets a mention.”

Dye, who follows Hong Kong racing closely, said McDonald had evolved as a rider as he rode more regularly in that country.

“James never used to make inside runs,” Dye said.

“In Hong Kong he has learned to take those inside runs and also not to go too early in races.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

JIM CASSIDY
Group 1 wins: 104 (Australia – 98)
Sydney premierships: 1
Hall of Fame: 2012

Ring a ding ding … the great Jim Cassidy. Picture: Mark Stewart
Ring a ding ding … the great Jim Cassidy. Picture: Mark Stewart

Cassidy had a similar take as Shane Dye on McDonald’s future, believing he would eventually get to Hong Kong.

“I can’t see him staying in Aussie,” said Cassidy, who was on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea this week but still kindly returned this writer’s call.

“I’ve always said records are there to be broken but you can’t ‘eat’ records. He will make a lot more money in Hong Kong.”

When asked what made McDonald so good, Cassidy had a humorous retort: “Well, ‘J-Mac’ is a Kiwi so that’s a big start!”

“He has had a lot better run than someone like me who got rubbed out all the time and if things keep falling into place for him he will break all sorts of records.

“In the 1980s, there were 15 champion jockeys but James sort of dominates now, it’s no different to Zac (Purton) in Hong Kong. But in saying all that, J-Mac’s ability speaks for itself.”

Cassidy said if McDonald’s future was in Sydney racing, then he would rewrite racing history.

“There are more race meetings, more Group 1 races, more prizemoney, all those things these days, but you have got to have natural ability and he has got that,” Cassidy said.

“At the moment, he is riding for all the big stables like Waller, Godolphin, Snowden, Maher, and he’s having a good run.

“Can he get better? It depends on injuries and what sort of opportunities you get during your career but with a bit of luck, as I said the records are there to be broken and James can smash them all.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE FINAL WORD

James McDonald celebrates his Group 1 Champagne Stakes victory aboard Broadsiding. Picture: Jason McCawley / Getty Images
James McDonald celebrates his Group 1 Champagne Stakes victory aboard Broadsiding. Picture: Jason McCawley / Getty Images

There might be one riding record that McDonald won’t break and that’s the phenomenal 164 Sydney wins Beadman rode in his 2006-07 premiership season.

“I looked at the premiership today and thought James has ridden 84 winners – he’s only halfway there,” Beadman said.

“The way I see it, James can do whatever he wants to do. He could stay in Sydney and ride more than 164 winners if he put his mind to it – but surely he can leave me one record!”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE PREMIERSHIP BATTLE
Rosehill Gardens, Saturday
James McDonald’s rides
Race 1: Mayfair $3
Race 2: Sir Ming $8
Race 3: Silvanito $3.50f
Race 4: Pure Alpha $2.80f
Race 5: Junqueira $13
Race 6: Sivka Burka $8.50
Race 7: Kapakiri $10
Race 8: Charterhouse $8
Race 9: Chorlton Lane $2.50f
Race 10: Willaidow $3.50f

Nash Rawiller’s rides
Race 3: Diamond Model $6
Race 4: Until Valhalla $7.50
Race 6: Contemporary $3.90
Race 7: Age Of Sail $3.40f
Race 8: New Mandate $19
Race 10: Able Willie $6.50

Originally published as ‘It was the making of him’: The moment that transformed jockey James McDonald

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/horse-racing/nsw-racing/it-was-the-making-of-him-the-moment-that-transformed-jockey-james-mcdonald/news-story/b78edccda02c688709a0301d92207f39