James Mcdonald has become just the second Australian-based rider to win the Longines World’s Best Jockey competition, claiming the crown for 2022.
Hugh Bowman captured the title in 2017 during the peak of Winx’s racing career, while McDonald achieved the accolade this year by winning nine of the world’s top 100 Group or Grade 1 races, five of them aboard Godolphin superstar Anamoe.
McDonald finished third in the Longines title race last year but was a clear winner on 142 points in 2022, 46 points clear of three-time winner Ryan Moore.
The competition, which was inaugurated in 2014, took in races from December 1, 2021 to November 30 this year with 12 points awarded for a win, six for a second and four for a third.
McDonald will be honoured at a ceremony in Hong Kong on December 9, two days before he competes at the International race day where his mounts are highlighted by Romantic Warrior in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
The champion hoop has won six Sydney jockeys’ premierships, including the past four in succession, and leads the race for this season’s title with 35 metropolitan wins just four months into the racing term.