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. He is the World Jockey of the Year for 2021 in the TRC Global Rankings.
Group 1 winners (82)
McDonald has currently ridden 82 Group One winners:
Major wins
AJC Derby (1) - It's A Dundeel (2013) All Aged Stakes (1) - Cascadian (2022) Auckland Cup (1) - Shez Sinsational (2012) 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 (1) - Captivant (2021) Chipping Norton Stakes (4) - Contributer (2015); Verry Elleegant (2021); Verry Elleegant (2022); Anamoe (2023) Coolmore Stud Stakes (2) - Home Affairs (2021); In Secret (2022) Cox Plate (2) - Anamoe (2022); Romantic Warrior (2023) Darley Sprint Classic (3) - Delectation (2015); Nature Strip (2019); Nature Strip (2021) Doomben Cup (1) - Zaaki (2021) Empire Rose Stakes (1) - Shillelagh (2018) 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 (2) - Exosphere (2015); Astern (2016) Golden Slipper Stakes (1) - Mossfun (2014) Lightning Stakes (1) - Home Affairs (2022) Mackinnon Stakes (1) - Zaaki (2021) Haunui Farm WFA Classic (1) - Keep The Peace (2011) Melbourne Cup (1) - Verry Elleegant (2021) Moir Stakes (1) - Nature Strip (2019) Mudgway Stakes (1) - Keep The Peace (2010) New Zealand Derby (1) - Silent Achiever (2012) New Zealand International Stakes (1) - Shez Sinsational (2012) New Zealand Oaks (1) - Jungle Rocket (2009) New Zealand Stakes (1) - Scarlett Lady (2012) New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1) - Special Mission (2008) Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1) - It's A Dundeel (2014) Queensland Derby (2) - Kukeracha (2021); Kovalica (2023) Queensland Oaks (1) - Scarlett Lady (2011) Randwick Guineas (1) - It's A Dundeel (2013) Ranvet Stakes (2) - Contributer (2015); Verry Elleegant (2021) Rosehill Guineas (2) - It's A Dundeel (2013); Anamoe (2022) Sires' Produce Stakes (1) - Anamoe (2021) Spring Champion Stakes (1) - It's A Dundeel (2012) Tancred Stakes (3) - Hartnell (2015); Avilius (2019); Verry Elleegant (2020) Telegraph Handicap (1) - Guiseppina (2012) The Galaxy (2) - Temple Of Boom (2012); Nature Strip (2019) The Metropolitan (1) - Magic Hurricane (2015) The Thousand Guineas (1) - Madame Pommery (2022) 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) Vinery Stud Stakes (1) - Verry Elleegant (2019) Winx Stakes (3) - Verry Elleegant (2020); Anamoe (2022); Fangirl (2023) Zabeel Classic (2) - Shez Sinsational (2011); True Enough (2019)
King's Stand Stakes - (1) - Nature Strip (2022)
Champions Mile - (1) - Xtension (2012) Hong Kong Cup - (1) - Romantic Warrior (2022) Queen Elizabeth II Cup - (1) - Romantic Warrior (2023) Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup - (1) - Lucky Sweynesse (2023)