James Mcdonald was a spectator, or rival, for Chris Waller’s six previous Group 1 wins this season but he appropriately celebrated his century of elite-level wins aboard a horse trained by the man who has provided him with more than a third of his Group 1 victories.
McDonald enjoyed an armchair ride aboard Via Sistina to win the $5m Cox Plate for the third year in a row.
It was the 37th time he has won a Group 1 race aboard a Waller-trained runner with James Cummings having supplied the next most with 16.
“To win a Cox Plate with Chris Waller, who is my greatest supporter, is so special,” McDonald said.
“It’s so fitting he’s brought up my 100th and to do it in such a prestigious race like the Cox Plate, I’m so blessed.”
Below is the full list of who McDonald has ridden his Group 1 winners for, the horses he has won them on and at which venue, along with the starting price of each runner.
Via Sistina started $5 in the Cox Plate and took to 76 the number of horses McDonald has won a Group 1 on at that price or shorter.
Most Group 1s – Horses
9 – Verry Elleegant
8 – Anamoe, Nature Strip
7 – Romantic Warrior
6 – Dundeel
3 – Broadsiding, Shez Sinsational, Zougotcha
2 – Contributer, Fangirl, Hartnell, Home Affairs, Keep The Peace, Riff Rocket, Scarlett Lady, Via Sistina, Zaaki
1 – Astern, Atishu, Avilius, Captivant, Cascadian, Cosmic Endeavour, Delectation, Exosphere, Funstar, Golden Mile, Guissepina, Hauraki, Holler, In Secret, Joliestar, Jungle Rocket, Kovalica, Kukeracha, Lucky Sweynesse, Madame Pommery, Magic Hurricane, Mossfun, Orchestral, Real Impact, Rising Romance, Shillelagh, Shooting To Win, Silent Achiever, Special Mission, Temple Of Boom, The Autumn Sun, True Enough, Voyage Bubble, Xtension, Zardozi
Group 1s – Trainers
37 – Chris Waller
16 – James Cummings
9 – John O’Shea
7 – Danny Shum, Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
3 – Allan Sharrock
2 – Peter and Paul Snowden, Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, Shaune Ritchie, Annabel Neasham, Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
1 – Donna & Dean Logan, Manfred Man, John, Wayne & Michael Hawkes, Gai Waterhouse, Noriyuki Hori, Ricky Yiu, Tony Gollan, John Moore, Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie, Jeff McVean, Peter McKay.
Group 1s – Races
4 – Chipping Norton Stakes
3 – Caulfield Guineas, Champions Sprint, Cox Plate, George Main/King Charles III Stakes, Golden Rose, Ranvet Stakes, Tancred Stakes, T J Smith Stakes, Winx Stakes.
2 – ATC Australian Derby, ATC Australian Oaks, Canterbury Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Champions Stakes, Coolmore Stud Stakes, Flight Stakes, George Ryder Stakes, Hong Kong Cup, QEII Cup, Queensland Derby, Rosehill Guineas, Thousand Guineas, The Galaxy, Vinery Stud Stakes, Zabeel Classic.
1 – All Aged Stakes, ATC Sires’, Auckland Cup, Black Caviar Lightning, Coolmore Classic, Darci Brahma Stakes, Doomben Cup, Empire Rose Stakes, Epsom Handicap, Golden Slipper, Hanui Farm Classic, Hong Kong Gold Cup, Hong Kong Champions Mile, J J Atkins, King’s Stand Stakes, Melbourne Cup, Moir Stakes, Mudgway Stakes, New Zealand Breeders Stakes, New Zealand Derby, New Zealand Oaks, New Zealand Stakes, Randwick Guineas, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Queensland Oaks, Queen Of The Turf, The Might & Power, Turnbull Stakes, Silver Jubilee Cup, Stewards’ Cup, Spring Champion Stakes, Telegraph Handicap, The Metropolitan, Underwood Stakes, Victoria Derby, VRC Oaks, Yasuda Kinen.
Most Group 1s – Tracks
30 – Randwick
18 – Rosehill
13 – Flemington
8 – Sha Tin
7 – Caulfield
5 – Ellerslie
4 – Eagle Farm, Moonee Valley
2 – Trentham, Warwick Farm
1 – Ascot (UK), Doomben, Hastings, Otaki, Te Aroha, Te Rapa, Tokyo.
Starting Price breakdown
Odds-on: 21 (shortest-priced: Dundeel, $1.25 in 2013 Australian Derby)
$2-$5: 55
$5.50-10: 14
$11-$18: 10 (longest-priced: Xtension, $18 in 2012 Hong Kong Champions Mile)
