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| Staff Writer |
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James McDonald has clinched his second World's Best Jockey title in dramatic circumstances after Ryan Moore's Japan Cup challenge aboard Auguste Rodin failed to materialise at Tokyo on Sunday.
Living legend Yutaka Take delivered a masterful performance aboard Do Deuce to land the Gr.1 Japan Cup, a victory that confirmed McDonald's position at the summit of world racing. The winner stormed clear in the closing stages, while Shin Emperor and Durezza could not be separated in their battle for second place.
New Zealand-born McDonald, who trains primarily out of Sydney, has enjoyed a phenomenal season, with his dominance at the Flemington Carnival proving pivotal. His previous triumph in this championship came in 2022, joining an illustrious list of winners including Frankie Dettori (2015) and Christophe Lemaire (2017-2019).
Notable past victors of the Japan Cup include Almond Eye (2018), who went on to land six more Group One races, and Gentildonna (2012-2013), the only back-to-back winner of the prestigious race.
Moore, needing 12 points from the US$6.5 million contest to overtake McDonald, saw his hopes evaporate as Auguste Rodin, trained by Aidan O'Brien, failed to figure in the closing stages. The British ace, who has claimed this title in 2014, 2016, 2021, and 2023, had led the standings for much of the year until McDonald's late surge.
"This means everything," McDonald said. "To win it once was special, but to do it twice is beyond my wildest dreams. The support I've received from owners and trainers worldwide has been incredible."
The result cements McDonald's status among the elite of world racing, with connections already eyeing more international success in 2025.