Via Sistina and James McDonald | Bronwen Healy
New Zealander James McDonald has won the 2024 Longines World’s Best Jockey title with 160 points, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) announced on Wednesday.
McDonald previously won the award in 2022. There was a margin of just 10 points back to Englishman Ryan Moore at 150. Moore, a four-time winner of the title, was clear of William Buick in third with 105 points. A ceremony will be held during a gala dinner of the Longines Hong Kong International Races at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to honour McDonald on Dec. 6.
Based in Australia, McDonald won nine of the world’s Top 100 Group or Grade 1 races, with his qualifying victories coming with Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (Longines Hong Kong Mile, Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Yasuda Kinen), Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) (Stewards’ Cup), Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (Ranvet Stakes, Ladbrokes Cox Plate, and TAB Champions Stakes), and Sunshine In Paris (Aus) (Invader {Aus}) (Darley Champions Sprint).
The awarding of the Longines World’s Best Jockey title is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races as established for the year by the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. The scoring incorporates races from Dec. 1 of the previous year until Nov. 30 of the
current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, six points for placing second, and four points for placing third.
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