James McDonald crowned world’s best jockey by IFHA
Australia’s leading hoop, James McDonald, has been crowned the 2022 Longines World’s Best Jockey, after the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities announced his triumph overnight.
McDonald tallied 142 points throughout the year, based on his performance in 100 of the world’s highest-rated Group 1 races throughout the year.
After leading the standings for most of the year, McDonald ran away with the award after another outstanding Victorian Spring Carnival, where he won two of his qualifying Group 1 races, on Anamoe both times, in the Might And Power Stakes and Cox Plate.
Throughout 2022, McDonald won nine of the top 100 Group or Grade 1 races, with his other victories coming in the Lightning Stakes (Home Affairs), Chipping Norton Stakes (Very Elleegant), Rosehill Guineas (Anamoe), TJ Smith Stakes (Nature Strip), All Aged Stakes (Cascadian), Winx Stakes (Anamoe) and George Main Stakes (Anamoe).
It is fair to say that his connection with the Godolphin-owned and James Cummings-trained Anamoe is the main reason that he has won the award for the first time, winning five of those nine Group 1s on the star four-year-old entire.
McDonald beat his nearest rival, Ryan Moore, by an impressive margin of 46 points, while William Buick finished in third.
Seven other Australian jockeys made the leaderboard with Jamie Kah (ninth) finishing the highest, followed by Hugh Bowman (equal 12th), Nash Rawiller (equal 14th), Damian Lane (equal 16th), Tim Clark (equal 22nd), Ethan Brown and Blake Shinn (both equal 25th).
The ceremony to honour McDonald will be held at the gala dinner of the Hong Kong International Races on December 9 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.