‘Biggest mistake of my career’: Glen Boss reveals why James McDonald shouldn’t move to Hong Kong

James McDonald is a jockey in demand … but as he weighs up his future, Hall of Famer Glen Boss explains why he has personally urged the nation’s top rider to remain in Sydney.

James McDonald (left) is congratulated by Glen Boss after riding Anamoe to win the 2022 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Hall of Fame jockey Glen Boss has urged superstar rider James McDonald to remain in Sydney racing and continue travelling to Hong Kong for the big racedays.

McDonald is a jockey in demand and is clearly the nation’s leading rider after a sensational season in which he has ridden 19 Group 1 winners, including a career-best 14 majors in Australia.

The jockey they call “JMac” can ride his 50th stakes winner for the season on Charterhouse in the Listed $200,000 Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as he moves inexorably closer to a sixth consecutive Sydney jockeys premiership.

But McDonald has also ridden four Group 1 winners in Hong Kong – and one in Japan – this season and senior Hong Kong Jockey Club officials have publicly said they want the jockey to one day base himself there full-time.

But Boss feels McDonald can continue to enjoy the “best of both worlds” from Sydney.

Twelve months after their 2022 Cox Plate embrace, James McDonald and Glen Boss again celebrate after Romantic Warrior’s famous 2023 Cox Plate victory. Picture: Mark Stewart

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“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 ($HK91.5 million, $A17.4 million) 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.’’

Group 1 horse.

Group 1 jockey.

Group 1 salute. pic.twitter.com/pRlWliOCRO

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 15, 2024

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Fellow riding legends Shane Dye and Jim Cassidy, however, believe it is inevitable that McDonald will end up riding in Hong Kong.

Dye said if McDonald stayed in Sydney he would eventually ride 200 Group 1 winners but said the lucrative financial rewards of Hong Kong racing were almost impossible to ignore.

“It all depends on whether he wants prestige and premierships, or if he wants to be wealthy,’’ Dye said.

“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.’’

How awesome is this! 👊

J-Mac thanks his fans after another Group 1 win. @mcacajamezpic.twitter.com/uFsWjnAisO

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 15, 2024

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Cassidy also felt McDonald would one day make the move to Hong Kong.

“I can’t see him staying in Aussie,’’ Cassidy said. “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.’’

Ray Thomas interviewed Boss, Dye, Cassidy and fellow Hall of Famers Darren Beadman and “Miracle” Mal Johnston about what makes McDonald so good and where he rates in the pantheon of all-time greats. You can read the full feature on Racenet on Friday morning.

Originally published as ‘Biggest mistake of my career’: Glen Boss reveals why James McDonald shouldn’t move to Hong Kong