Regarded as one of the world’s best jockeys, James McDonald – popularly known as ‘J-Mac’ – made a big impression in Hong Kong on his International Jockeys’ Championship debut when still a teenager back in 2011, finishing runner-up to Frankie Dettori. He returned the following May and partnered Xtension to victory in the 2012 Champions Mile at Sha Tin. Champion Apprentice in his homeland, he went on to claim the Championship there twice, firstly in 2008/09 and latterly with a New Zealand record tally of 207 for the 2010/11 season. In 2012 he won a first New Zealand Derby. He clinched his first Sydney Championship in 2014. In 2021, he won the Melbourne Cup – Australia’s most famous race – aboard Verry Elleegant, Darley Sprint Classic with Nature Strip, Coolmore Stud Stakes atop Home Affairs and Mackinnon Stakes with Zaaki. He scored a famous victory aboard Nature Strip in the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and was crowned the World’s Best Jockey that same year. McDonald has built a famed association with Hong Kong’s global champion Romantic Warrior, winning the Hong Kong Cup (2022-2025) four times, QEII Cup (2023 & 2024) twice and 2023 W.S. Cox Plate in Australia before the duo landed the 2024 Yasuda Kinen in Japan. The pair then famously campaigned to the Middle East, where they came agonisingly close to Saudi Cup glory in 2025 when defeated by Japan’s Forever Young. In 2025, another of his partnerships linked with Hong Kong saw the rider and Voyage Bubble complete the Triple Crown last season – becoming only the second in history to do so after legend River Verdon (1993/94). He has won over 135 Group 1 races globally, including the most in Australian racing history, and headlined by the past four runnings of the W.S. Cox Plate with Anamoe (2022), Romantic Warrior (2023) and Via Sistina (2024 & 2025). Achievements: Sydney Champion Jockey (2013/14, 2015/16, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 & 2024/25); New Zealand Champion Jockey (2008/09 & 2010/11). World’s Best Jockey Award winner (2022 & 2024). Notable Wins Include: Hong Kong Cup (2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025 Romantic Warrior), Hong Kong Mile (2024 Voyage Bubble), Hong Kong Gold Cup (2024 & 2026 Romantic Warrior, 2025 Voyage Bubble), Stewards’ Cup (2024 & 2025 Voyage Bubble, 2026 Romantic Warrior), QEII Cup (2023 & 2024 Romantic Warrior), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2023 Lucky Sweynesse), Champions & Chater Cup (2025 Voyage Bubble), Champions Mile (2012 Xtension), Yasuda Kinen (2024 Romantic Warrior), Melbourne Cup (2021 Verry Elleegant), Golden Slipper (2014 Mossfun), W.S. Cox Plate (2022 Anamoe, 2023 Romantic Warrior, 2024 & 2025 Via Sistina), VRC Oaks (2023 Zardozi), Victoria Derby (2023 Riff Rocket), King’s Stand Stakes (2022 Nature Strip), Jebel Hatta (2025 Romantic Warrior), New Zealand Derby (2012 Silent Achiever), New Zealand Oaks (2009 Jungle Rocket), Golden Rose Stakes (2015 Exosphere, 2016 Astern, 2024 Broadsiding), AJC Derby (2013 It’s A Dundeel, 2024 Riff Rocket), Caulfield Guineas (2014 Shooting To Win, 2018 The Autumn Sun, 2022 Golden Mile), Australian Oaks (2014 Rising Romance, 2019 Verry Elleegant, 2026 Ohope Wins), Epsom Handicap (2016 Hauraki), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC) (2014 It’s A Dundeel, 2025 Via Sistina), T J Smith Stakes (2020, 2021 & 2022 Nature Strip, 2026 Joliestar), Rosehill Guineas (2013 It’s A Dundeel, 2022 Anamoe, 2025 Broadsiding, 2026 Autumn Boy), Randwick Guineas (2013 It’s A Dundeel), Lightning Stakes (2022 Home Affairs), George Ryder Stakes (2015 Real Impact, 2023 Anamoe, 2026 Autumn Glow), Coolmore Stud Stakes (2021 Home Affairs, 2022 In Secret, 2024 Switzerland). Canterbury Stakes (2015 Cosmic Endeavour, 2016 Holler, 2026 Jolliestar), Chipping Norton Stakes (2015 Contributer, 2021 & 2022 Verry Elleegant, 2023 Anamoe, 2025 Via Sistina, 2026 Autumn Glow), Coolmore Classic (2024 Zougotcha, 2025 Lady Shenandoah, 2026 Lazzura), Ranvet Stakes (2015 Contributer, 2021 Verry Elleegant, 2024 & 2025 Via Sistina, 2026 Aeliana), Tancred Stakes (2015 Hartnell, 2019 Avilius, 2020 Verry Elleegant, 2026 Aeliana). Hong Kong wins (as of 13 April): 78