Champion jockey James McDonald once again stole the show at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, ending the week with an impressive 11 wins, surpassing his own record of 10 victories set in 2021. McDonald’s exceptional performance on the final day saw him claim four wins, including two Group 1 races.
McDonald’s victories included the Champions Sprint aboard Sunshine In Paris and the Champions Stakes with his Cox Plate winner, Via Sistina. He also rode Hinged to victory in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes and capped off his day with a win on Pisanello in the last race. Remarkably, this was the fourth time McDonald has ridden four winners in a single day at the Flemington Carnival.
Reflecting on his historic achievement after winning on the James Cummings-trained Pisanello, McDonald expressed his amazement. “It means a lot. Honestly, it could’ve been 15, I messed up a few,” he joked.
“The Melbourne Cup Carnival is a privilege to ride in,” he added. “The atmosphere, the crowd, the energy—everything about it is incredible. It’s one of the best weeks in racing. I’m fortunate to ride for some amazing trainers and to be entrusted with such talented horses. I just guide them around the track, and they do the rest.”
McDonald was set to return to Sydney on Saturday night to celebrate his daughter Evie’s birthday, a special moment after an unforgettable week.
This stellar run also secured McDonald his fourth consecutive Ron Hutchinson Award as the top rider during Melbourne Cup Week. Additionally, his outstanding performance propelled him to the top of the Longines World’s Best Jockey leaderboard, where he now leads with 160 points, 10 ahead of Ryan Moore.
McDonald and Moore have been fierce contenders for the World’s Best Jockey title over recent years, with Moore winning in 2021 and 2023, while McDonald took the crown in 2022.
Reflecting on his ride with Via Sistina, McDonald said, “Everything went perfectly. She gave me such a smooth ride. Around the 600m and 400m marks, it felt like I was just switching gears, and she took off effortlessly.”
