Best ride? Favourite winner? James McDonald categorises his astonishing Flemington Carnival

James McDonald has run through various categories relating to his astonishing Melbourne Cup Carnival.

McDonald rode 11 winners and had nine placings from his 32 rides, breaking his own record at Flemington’s four-day festival of racing.

Gerard Whateley put together categories with J-Mac sorting his rides and horses into each.

BEST RIDE: Switzerland

“Everyone would say Amelita, but I thought Switzerland was a pretty good ride,” he said on SEN’s Whateley.

“Just the way everything unfolded in such a big moment and producing him with a furlong to go was pretty good, I thought.”

FAVOURITE WINNER: Via Sistina & Switzerland

“There’s probably two - I thought Via (Sistina) and Switzerland were both pretty good performances.

“They’d be hard to beat.”

BEST HORSE: Via Sistina

“Via Sistina. The way she has come of age in the last two starts over the last month is just phenomenal.

“I didn’t think she had those sort of performances in her and she’s done extremely well.

“What a horse.”

HAPPIEST CONNECTIONS: Coolmore

“Probably the Coolmore crew after Switzerland won.

“All 11 were very good. It’s such a hard place to get a winner so it’s really treasured when you do win a race.”

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: The Oaks on Powers Of Opal

“I was disappointed I wasn’t more aggressive in the early parts.

“I thought she ran out of her skin. She improved from the Wakeful.

“The one that got away was Powers Of Opal.”

WORST RIDE: Powers Of Opal

“Worst ride you would have to say Powers Of Opal.

“I think she should have been a lot closer and that’s the ride of the 32 that I’d like to have again.”

McDonald was then asked by Gerard Whateley: Should you have won the Melbourne Cup?, either with the horse that wasn’t there (Via Sistina) or you should have been on the horse (Buckaroo) that could have won?

“Via (Sistina) would have been extremely hard to beat, if not won it, I think,” he replied.

“It’s probably also the one that got away.”