James McDonald with daughter Evie and wife Katelyn Mallyon. Photo: Linda G Photography.
James McDonald has won the Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate, he was the youngest person ever inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, he has ridden for Queen Elizabeth II at Royal Ascot and was last year World’s Best Jockey.
Yet McDonald, who grew up in Cambridge, has not been recognised on Waipā’s Sports Walk of Fame in Duke Street.
And that is an oversight The News editorial director Roy Pilott is about to put right by sending in his own nomination.
“The guy’s a superstar and deserves to be there,” he said.
Examples of the pavers on Duke Street.
McDonald’s racing success continued on Saturday when he won the Cox Plate on Romantic Warrior to become the first jockey in 33 years to go back-to-back in the race on different horses.
As excitement revs up for next week’s 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup, it has been confirmed McDonald will ride last year’s winner Gold Trip, a six-year-old bay stallion from France which was fifth in the Cox Plate behind Romantic Warrior.
The News contacted the 31-year-old champion jockey to ask how he would feel about being on the Walk of Fame.
The walk celebrates Cambridge’s outstanding sporting achievers with plaques set into footpaths both side of Duke Street.
It would be “an honour to be amongst so many amazing people,” he said.
Inductees must have achieved at an international senior level, be widely recognised for their contribution to their profession and to have been born here and lived locally or achieved champion status while living here for at least five years – all boxes McDonald ticks.
The superstar jockey was born at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, attended Kaipaki School with his brother Luke, then Cambridge Middle and Cambridge High schools.
Katelyn Mallyon and James McDonald at the Gold Coast Millions. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli, Ultimateracingphotos.com.au
He now lives in Sydney with his wife Katelyn Mallyon, a retired jockey, and their daughter Evie, born on November 6 last year.
McDonald, who won the 2021 Melbourne Cup on New Zealand-bred mare Verry Elleegant, was denied a crack at the race which stops two nations last year when his mount Loft was scratched at the last minute due to a tendon injury.
“That was obviously a huge disappointment as I thought he was a great chance,” he said.
Before the Cox Plate, McDonald’s results were mixed. He was on the Chris Waller-trained Irish gelding Francesco Guardi which finished second to last in the Caulfield Cup field of 18.
Now he is looking forward to the Melbourne Cup Carnival, where he has one simple aim: “just to ride winners”.
James McDonald after winning the Lexus Melbourne Cup aboard Verry Elleegant (NZ) at Flemington Racecourse on November 02, 2021 in Flemington, Australia. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)
Reflecting on 2023, McDonald said highlights had been his private wedding to Katelyn and “winning on Romantic Warrior in Hong Kong” to claim the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The Group One race, run annually in April at Sha Tin Racecourse, offers a prize purse of around $NZ5 million.
But the proud dad said his biggest achievement was “Evie, of course”.
His said his first year of fatherhood had been “awesome, but full on with work and trying to help Katelyn as much as I can”.
- After the Cox Plate, McDonald had ridden 82 group one winners, won 2052 races and had 3002 places from 10,969 starts.
- See: Cup hopes look sharp
The Melbourne Cup in Cambridge earlier this year. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
