James McDonald (jockey)

{{Infobox horseracing personality

|image=HKIR 20231210 James McDonald.jpg

|name = James McDonald

|caption =McDonald winning the Hong Kong Cup at the Sha Tin Racecourse in 2023

|occupation = Jockey

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1992|1|6}}

| birth_place = Kaipaki, New Zealand

|career wins =

|race =

|awards =

|honours = New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame (2021)
World Jockey of the Year (2021, 2024)

|horses =Verry Elleegant,It's A Dundeel,Nature Strip,Anamoe,Romantic Warrior,Via Sistina

|nickname=JMac, J-Mac|weight=55kg}}

James McDonald (born 6 January 1992) is a New Zealand thoroughbred racing jockey and member of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. On 2 November 2021, McDonald rode the winning horse Verry Elleegant in the 2021 Melbourne Cup.{{cite web|url=https://wwmhermitage.com/james-mcdonald-enters-the-hall-of-fame/|title=James McDonal enters the Hall of Fame |publisher=hermitage.com|access-date=3 September 2021}} He has been awarded the World Jockey of the Year in 2021 and 2024 in the TRC Global Rankings.{{cite web |url=https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/james-mcdonald-world-jockey-year-2021/|title=James McDonald is World Jockey of the Year for 2021|publisher=TRC|access-date=12 January 2022}}

Group 1 winners (116)

File:James McDonald 20230319.jpg at the Sha Tin Racecourse in 2023]]

McDonald has currently ridden 116 Group One winners, including 90 in Australia, 12 in Hong Kong, 11 in New Zealand and one each in Japan, United Kingdom and UAE:{{cite web |url= https://www.racingandsports.com/thoroughbred/jockey/james-mcdonald/10325 |title=James McDonald profile |publisher=racingandsports.com |access-date=3 September 2021}}

Major wins

{{AUS}}

AJC Derby (2) - It's A Dundeel (2013); Riff Rocket (2024)
All Aged Stakes (1) - Cascadian (2022)
Australian Oaks (2) - Rising Romance (2014); Verry Elleegant (2019)
Canterbury Stakes (2) - Cosmic Endeavour (2015); Holler (2016)
Caulfield Guineas (3) - Shooting To Win (2014); The Autumn Sun (2018); Golden Mile (2022)
Caulfield Stakes (1) - Anamoe (2022)
Champagne Stakes (2) - Captivant (2021); Broadsiding (2024)
Champions Stakes (3) - Zaaki (2021); Atishu (2023); Via Sistina (2024)
Chipping Norton Stakes (5) - Contributer (2015); Verry Elleegant (2021); Verry Elleegant (2022); Anamoe (2023); Via Sistina (2025)
Coolmore Classic (2) - Zougotcha (2024); Lady Shenandoah (2025)
Coolmore Stud Stakes (3) - Home Affairs (2021); In Secret (2022); Switzerland (2024)
Cox Plate (3) - Anamoe (2022); Romantic Warrior (2023); Via Sistina (2024)
Darley Champions Sprint (4) - Delectation (2015); Nature Strip (2019); Nature Strip (2021); Sunshine In Paris (2024)
Doomben Cup (1) - Zaaki (2021)
Empire Rose Stakes (2) - Shillelagh (2018); Atishu (2024)
Epsom Handicap (1) - Hauraki (2016)
Flight Stakes (2) - Funstar (2019); Zougotcha (2022)
George Main Stakes (3) - Verry Elleegant (2021); Anamoe (2022); Fangirl (2023)
George Ryder Stakes (2) - Real Impact (2015); Anamoe (2023)
Golden Rose Stakes (3) - Exosphere (2015); Astern (2016); Broadsiding (2024)
Golden Slipper Stakes (1) - Mossfun (2014)
J. J. Atkins (1) - Broadsiding (2024)
Lightning Stakes (1) - Home Affairs (2022)
Melbourne Cup (1) - Verry Elleegant (2021)
Moir Stakes (1) - Nature Strip (2019)
Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2) - It's A Dundeel (2014); Via Sistina (2025)
Queen of the Turf Stakes (2) - Zougotcha (2024); Fangirl (2025)
Queensland Derby (2) - Kukeracha (2021); Kovalica (2023)
Queensland Oaks (1) - Scarlett Lady (2011)
Randwick Guineas (1) - It's A Dundeel (2013)
Ranvet Stakes (4) - Contributer (2015); Verry Elleegant (2021); Via Sistina (2024); Via Sistina (2025)
Rosehill Guineas (3) - It's A Dundeel (2013); Anamoe (2022); Broadsiding (2025)
Sires' Produce Stakes (1) - Anamoe (2021)
Spring Champion Stakes (1) - It's A Dundeel (2012)
Surround Stakes (1) - Lady Shenandoah (2025)
Tancred Stakes (3) - Hartnell (2015); Avilius (2019); Verry Elleegant (2020)
The Galaxy (2) - Temple Of Boom (2012); Nature Strip (2019)
The Metropolitan (1) - Magic Hurricane (2015)
The Thousand Guineas (2) - Madame Pommery (2022); Joliestar (2023)
TJ Smith Stakes (3) - Nature Strip (2020); Nature Strip (2021); Nature Strip (2022)
Turnbull Stakes (1) - Hartnell (2016)
Underwood Stakes (1) - It's A Dundeel (2014)
Victoria Derby (1) - Riff Rocket (2023)
Vinery Stud Stakes (2) - Verry Elleegant (2019); Orchestral (2024)
VRC Oaks (1) - Zardozi (2023)
Winx Stakes (3) - Verry Elleegant (2020); Anamoe (2022); Fangirl (2023)