J-Mac vs the world’s best
It has been clear James McDonald would rewrite all the records for jockeys in Australia for some time, but his dominance can be further illustrated by comparing him to the best around the world.
After Saturday’s half-dozen, McDonald has 63 winners in Sydney at a 26.2 per cent strike rate, which is the equivalent of riding a treble every second meeting.
It is a similar strike rate to Christophe Lemaire in Japan, who finished 2025 at 26.7 per cent, and better than Oisin Murphy in England, who struck at 23 per cent, and Zac Purton, who rides 20.6 per cent in Hong Kong.
But they are just numbers to McDonald, who is renowned as one of the best form students around.
He gets the choice of the best at Chris Waller, but he doesn’t forget that winners can come from everywhere.
If a trainer rings for a ride, he is likely to ask about another horse he has marked as a coming winner.
After riding six winners on Saturday, McDonald wasn’t looking back.
“It is just a number,” McDonald said about his big day out.
“People like to talk about the numbers, but if I don’t do it again next week, they will be talking about me for a different reason.”
“I don’t think I’m the best jockey around, but I work hard to make sure I get the best opportunities.”
“You don’t get everything right, so I have to work hard.”
It is a philosophy that gets more and more winners.
J-Mac has ridden 6 winners from 8 rides! 🤯
Gangsta Granny wins the last at Randwick! 👏 pic.twitter.com/LYy8ocksbG
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 7, 2026
Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi clash could wait until next year
One week Autumn Glow, the next Sheza Alibi, Australian racing is in a golden era with the three and four-year-olds around at the moment.
For the past couple of years, there hasn’t been those special horses, only Via Sistina was in the outstanding range.
But now we have exciting, progressive horses hitting the top level.
It would be great to see Autumn Glow v Sheza Alibi but we might have to wait until 2027.
Peter Moody has ruled out the Doncaster because he wants to aim Sheza Alibi for the spring. But as a four-year-old the $10M Golden Eagle over 1500m at Randwick only comes around once.
Autumn Glow will head to a Cox Plate, so the only hope of clash might be in the Champions Stakes at Flemington.
The supporting cast is exciting as well – Tempted, Observer, Aeliana, and Jimmysstar are still on their way up.
After Sheza Alibi’s demolition job in the Randwick Guineas it’s apparent we have two very nice girls on our hands in her and Autumn Glow.
1600M – Randwick who would you back? pic.twitter.com/JYqqF984KW
— Betsy (@betsy_com_au) March 8, 2026
Pumper welcomes JMac into the half-dozen club
Jimmy Cassidy welcomed James McDonald into the six Sydney Saturday win club in his own way.
“It’s been a bit lonely in the club, so it’s good to have James join me,” said Cassidy, who achieved the feat in 1987 when there were only eight-race cards.
“I thought he would do it sooner given the rides he gets.”
“One day, one of your Aussie jockeys might do it.”
Strong Hawkesbury ready to go it alone
When will Hawkesbury Race Club be allowed out of administration by Racing NSW following more than four years under its control?
Hawkesbury has assets outside racing and a strong balance sheet when compared to other clubs in the state.
Administrator Jo Moore made it clear in Hawkesbury’s annual report that she feels her job is done.
“Since my appointment in August 2023, my focus has remained on embedding robust governance frameworks, resetting the Club’s Strategy, progressing on essential capital works and ensuring the Club’s financial sustainability,” Moore wrote in the annual report. “FY25 has delivered solid results across these areas.”
“With a solid balance sheet, exciting plans for critical infrastructure investment, and a clear strategic direction, HRC is well positioned for future growth and for the eventual transition back to self-governance.”
It is clear Racing NSW should return the club to its members’ control.
This is a warning for the Australian Turf Club, which continues to wait on the Supreme Court ruling on the regulator’s attempt to put it into administration.
Once in administration, there is no endpoint.
Rules get McDonald back for the Coolmore Classic
There were some eyebrows raised when James McDonald was allowed to count Canberra’s Black Opal meeting on Sunday as part of his four-meeting suspension on Saturday.
It has long been the stewards’ practice to count the country meeting, with races worth $200,000, as a metropolitan meeting in suspensions.
But McDonald’s situation had the NSW Jockeys Association asking chief steward Tom Moxon for clarification on why Canberra could count when McDonald didn’t have a ride there, which had the champion jockey back for next Saturday’s Coolmore Classic.
Moxon explained that because McDonald had the ability to pick up a ride at Canberra and started his suspension straight away, it had to be counted under the present rules.
McDonald has had three suspensions in the past month, but each has been under a different rule, so they are looked at separately when assessing his record.
King looks for the Slipper to fit after Japan’s successes
Rachel King will get the chance to become the first female jockey to win the Golden Slipper on Warwoven later in the month, but is she underappreciated in Australia?
She has returned from another stint in Japan, where she rode 16 winners to be in the top 10 of their premiership, which runs on the calendar year.
But it was her strike rate of 21 per cent that stood out, placing her only behind Christophe Lemaire and Yuga Kadawa in terms of winners to rides.
She rides at under 10 per cent in Sydney but is one of Bjorn Baker’s main riders.
“She’s an exceptionally hard worker and we have had a lot of success with her,” Baker said. “She is a great judge, which makes her invaluable in our team.”
Warwoven will probably have to run in the Pago Pago Stakes to secure a Golden Slipper run. He sits 18th on the Slipper order of entry, so he would need a first-three finish to be in the field.
