The kid who was born to be a jockey wants to be part of a truly great racing story. He wants his legend.
And those stories need a horse.
"I think she could be the one," says McDonald. "She is remarkable, you can tell the difference as soon as you sit on her.
"She is so big and strong and, I know it is a cliche, but when you ride a horse like her she is poetry in motion.
"I think she might be a really great horse in the making. She is so fast and so strong.
"And that is the main reason I'd love her to win this week. I want her to go on and win this and the Golden Eagle and I want her to be a champion with me riding her.
"I have been on some very good horses in my life but you don't get many chances like this."
McDonald has, of course, ridden one of the greatest ever in Winx, but that was a one-race stand. She was the apple in the eye of his good mate Hugh Bowman so McDonald doesn't count himself part of the Winx story, just a cameo in her movie.
He also realises Bowman could have easily ended up on Arcadia Queen, as the former Perth mare joined trainer Chris Waller's stable not long after Winx retired. The transition from champion mare to potential champion would have been easy for Bowman.
"When you go to ride trackwork at Chris's in the morning you see your name on the board for which ones they want you to ride and I wanted to see my name next to Arcadia Queen.
"So I was thrilled when I got her but even I wasn't ready for the feel she gives you.
"Now I have got on her I want to make the most of her. I'd love to be part of what Hughie was with Winx, even though I know we can't expect to replicate that."
Bowman and McDonald actually shared Arcadia Queen's first two trials after she joined Waller but it was the man they called Jmac who was on for her first Sydney start, overpowering their rivals in the Theo Marks Stakes last month, albeit over 1300m.
The drop back to 1200m is the reason McDonald goes to Randwick today hopeful rather than bursting with confidence. "I think everybody knows she will be better over further and the 1200m might be short of her best," says McDonald, who would have been on Caulfield Cup favourite Finche today had the races not clashed. "But there is plenty of speed in the Everest this year, horses who need to be up there rolling and the track will be a lot firmer than it has been here lately and that always puts tempo into these good races.
"So I think they will go hard enough and we should be about three pairs back. And I should have a couple of the key dangers in Pierata and Santa Ana Lane back with us or behind.
"I know it is not going to be easy to win but she really is something else. She is special and so is her trainer.
"But I am not thinking about the money. I want her to be that horse who takes me on that ride.
"And most importantly I want to win it for her."
The Everest — the A$14 million sprint
What: The richest horse race ever held in the Southern Hemisphere.
Where: Randwick, Sydney
When: 6.15pm (NZ time today)
Distance: 1200m
Who: Eleven of the elite sprinters in Australia and one European raider in Ten Sovereigns, trained by Aidan O'Brien.
Entry: Each horse has to be invited by a slot holder or represent one of the slot holders who bought the entry rights to the race for three years (some have since been on-sold)
How much: A$14 million total stake. Winner gets A$6,050,000, A$2,140,000 (second), A$1,240,000 (third), A$900,000 (fourth), A$680,000 (fifth), $450,0000 (sixth), A$400,000 for seventh to 12th.
Superstitious superjock
He is embarrassed to admit it but wonder jockey James McDonald is superstitious and tries to stick to the same routine before any huge Saturday race meeting.
He takes the Weekend Herald through the day by day countdown:
Monday: "On the big weeks I always play squash on the Monday with my mate Todd. If I beat him 5-0 it is usually a sign it is going to be a good week," laughs McDonald.
Tuesday: Trackwork.
Wednesday: Raceday riding, "keeps the eye in."
Thursday: "If it is a really big race like this week I always get my hair cut on the Thursday. I did it this week. When the boys see me with a new haircut they know things must be serious."
Friday: "Sometimes on Fridays we have trials but if I don't ride at those the day before a big race l like to go for about a 90 minute walk with plenty of gear on (for weight loss) around to Bondi.
"Then Friday night is always a quiet night in to relax and get the head right."
