<\/p>\n
\nNZ Jockey James McDonald.
\nPhoto: DAN HIMBRECHTS\n<\/p>\n
New Zealand jockey James McDonald has won the Longines World’s Best Jockey title for the second consecutive year and third time overall.<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old, who is based in Australia, also won the Longines World’s Best Jockey Award in 2022.<\/p>\n
On his way to claiming the 2025 title, McDonald won 12 of the world’s Top 100 Group or Grade 1 races.<\/p>\n
His qualifying victories included the Longines Hong Kong Cup, Longines Hong Kong Mile, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000, and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.<\/p>\n
McDonald dominated this year’s award, holding a sizeable lead throughout much of the competition.<\/p>\n
The scoring process rewards jockeys for finishing in the top three, giving McDonald a total of 184 points on the year. Mickael Barzalona was second with 132 points, while William Buick was third with 114 points.<\/p>\n
The awarding of the 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.<\/p>\n
The scoring incorporates races from 1 December of the previous year until 30 November of the current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third.<\/p>\n
The award was established in 2014 as a way for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) to quantitatively recognise a jockey as the best among his or her global peers.<\/p>\n
Italian jockey Frankie Dettori and Englishman Ryan Moore have won the award four times each.<\/p>\n