New Zealand-born, but Australian-based jockey James McDonald easily outdistanced Ryan Moore to be named the Longines World's Best Jockey for 2022. McDonald will be honoured at a ceremony during the gala dinner for the Longines Hong Kong International Races Friday, Dec. 9, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
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, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.
McDonald, who finished third in the 2021 competition, won nine of the world's top 100 Group 1/Grade I races during the season, topped by the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate aboard Godolphin's Anamoe (Aus) (Street Boss) and the G1 T J Smith S. astride Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}). McDonald also guided the latter to a thrilling victory in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. He is the second Australian-based rider to win the title, following Hugh Bowman in 2017.
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