Super Mac just edged Ryan Moore in battle for world’s best honours

Ryan Moore and James McDonald have dominated the Longines World’s Best Jockey award in recent years. Here we assess who really rules the roost between the top two.

James McDonald

The 32-year-old Kiwi finished on top of the leaderboard for the second time in 2024, having previously prevailed in 2021.

He registered nine Group One victories during the 12-month qualifying period, with Romantic Warrior his main ally after they struck at elite level four times together, while Via Sistina added three more.

Now with a career total of 106 top-tier triumphs to his credit, McDonald is a superstar in Australia, Hong Kong and his native New Zealand.

The rider nicknamed ‘J-Mac’ said: “Nothing beats experience and I think the ultimate thing I have learnt is to cope with what Frankie (Dettori), Ryan and Hughie (Bowman) have been able to do and ride champion racehorses – and to be able to cope with that sort of pressure.

“Look, I thoroughly enjoy it and I think it is a very privileged position to be in and I think that’s grown on me to be able to ride great racehorses on the biggest stage, whether it’s Royal Ascot or the Hong Kong International meeting.”

When asked to build his perfect jockey, four-time British champion Oisin Murphy hailed the tactical brain of McDonald and his rides on Romantic Warrior highlight an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time.

Ryan Moore

In the same feature for Champions Series, Murphy declared: “I think Ryan Moore is very strong, he’s certainly one in a finish that you don’t want to be against.”

Alongside Dettori, the 41-year-old has a record-equalling four World’s Best Jockey awards on his CV, having prevailed in 2014, 2016, 2021 and 2023.

Moore has ridden over 200 Group One winners, forging incredible partnerships with first Sir Michael Stoute and then Aidan O’Brien.

The major victories continued in 2024, with the likes of City Of Troy, Kyprios, Lake Victoria, Los Angeles, Luxembourg and Auguste Rodin adding to his top-grade tally.

After Moore went past Dettori to become the most successful active rider at Royal Ascot, O’Brien commented: “Every year he is getting better, which is incredible. He will definitely keep improving until he is 45.”

Coolmore’s Michael Tabor added: “He’s just riding at the top of his game and long may it continue. We know he is going to retire one day, but hopefully it is many years away.”

Verdict: Moore’s record in Britain, Ireland and France is obviously incredible, but he has also done it all on the international stage. There have been Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup triumphs in Australia, a clean sweep of Hong Kong’s biggest prizes, two Japan Cup strikes and his Breeders’ Cup haul stands at 16 and rising after Lake Victoria and Henri Matisse this term. For all his amazing success in Australia and in the Far East, McDonald can only boast one European win of note, on board Nature Strip in the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Such different levels of worldwide experience mean that Moore would still be the number one choice for most people.