James McDonald is once again the world’s best jockey after another remarkable year, but it’s a defeat that still haunts him.
Romantic Warrior’s epic Saudi Cup showdown with Forever Young down the Riyadh straight was the moment in racing of 2025 and McDonald is still watching it back.
“When you get beaten, you must have done something wrong,” he said.
“You always go back and see how you could have been better.”
“But in the history of that race, the winner has always been in front at the 400m mark and held on. We just ran into a very good horse, which is the best in the world on dirt.”
“I don’t think I would change much, maybe wait a couple of more strides before going.”
“It’s funny, he is probably the best horse I have ridden [Romantic Warrior], but he got more credit from that defeat than he got before it.”
“In a way, that race made him a bigger star because everyone saw how good he is on a different surface.”
It says a lot about McDonald that a loss, rather than his 12 victories in the world’s top 100 races, was his focus in 2025, which he dominated.
He broke the record for the most points in the world’s best jockey standings with 184 points for the year.
In a seven-month period from the end of October 2024 to May 2025, McDonald rode 12 winners of the top 100 races, while also clocking up seconds on Romantic Warrior in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
Via Sistina gave him six of his victories in 2025 with Voyage Bubble counting for three in Hong Kong, while Sunshine In Paris, Joliestar and surprisingly Romantic Warrior were his other winners.
“I don’t really look back because you’re always chasing the next big race,” said McDonald, who became a three-time winner of the world’s best jockey.
“This year is the most satisfying winning it because when you win it, you want to do it again and again, to prove it isn’t a fluke.”
“To back up last year, where I rode three champions – Romantic [Warrior], Via [Sistina] and Voyage Bubble – is one of my best achievements because I’m showing I’m consistent.”
“That’s what you want to be known for.”
“It starts again on Sunday [the world’s best jockey] and everyone is on zero, so hopefully I can have as good a start as last year.”
He won the Hong Kong International Cup on Romantic Warrior on day 1 last year, and also took the Mile out on Voyage Bubble, who he swaps for Galaxy Patch on Sunday.
McDonald will finish what has become his traditional post-spring carnival Hong Kong sojourn just before Christmas, but will not return to the saddle in Australia until the new year.
Christmas with his wife, Katelyn, and young family, Evie and Mia, is a priority when he returns to Sydney.
“It’s different now, everything I do is for them,” McDonald said. “My main focus remains in Sydney and winning the premiership there again.”
“There will be opportunities to go and ride in different places next year, but these days it’s more planned, I can’t just drop everything and go because of the girls.”
