The highlight of his career so far is a collection of 12 top-level victories, the kind of races that represent the very best of British racing. York and Ascot are names that carry real weight in the sport, and McDonald has won at both. He added two more top-level wins at York in the space of just three months in 2025 — one in May and one in August — which suggests he is not just passing through at that level but genuinely competing there with confidence. York is widely regarded as one of the finest racecourses in the country, and landing two of its biggest races in a single season is the sort of thing that gets noticed.
His partnership with trainer Andrew Balding stands out as one of the most productive combinations in the sport right now. From 149 races together they have won 32, which works out at roughly 1 in every 5 — and that 21% figure is meaningfully higher than his overall season average. When Balding's yard puts McDonald up, it is usually worth paying attention.
Chester is a course worth flagging too. It is a tight, unusual track — almost perfectly circular — where local knowledge and instinct for the rail matter enormously. McDonald has won 5 times from just 13 rides there, which is close to 1 in every 3, a return that suggests he has genuinely figured the place out. In racing terms, that kind of record at a specific venue is rarely an accident.
Four years into his career, McDonald sits in an interesting position: consistent enough to command a full schedule, skilled enough to land top-level races, and with a trainer partnership that keeps producing results. The 286 career winners are a foundation; the two York wins in 2025 are a statement.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | 120 | 22 | 18.3% |
| Southwell | 105 | 15 | 14.3% |
| York | 53 | 5 | 9.4% |
| Doncaster | 49 | 6 | 12.2% |
| Haydock Park | 33 | 4 | 12.1% |
| Wolverhampton | 25 | 2 | 8% |
| Pontefract | 23 | 3 | 13.0% |
| Beverley | 21 | 3 | 14.3% |
| Catterick Bridge | 20 | 1 | 5% |
| Redcar | 19 | 4 | 21.1% |
| Kempton Park | 18 | 2 | 11.1% |
| Newmarket | 15 | 1 | 6.7% |
| Chester | 13 | 5 | 38.5% |
| Thirsk | 11 | 1 | 9.1% |
| Carlisle | 11 | 0 | 0% |
| chelmsford | 10 | 1 | 10% |
| Ripon | 10 | 1 | 10% |
| Hamilton Park | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Newbury | 9 | 0 | 0% |
| Musselburgh | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| Wetherby | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Ascot | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Ayr | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Leicester | 5 | 1 | 20% |
| Nottingham | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Lingfield Park | 3 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Great Yarmouth | 2 | 0 | 0% |