What makes James genuinely worth watching is what happens when the heavens open. On wet, muddy ground he has won 2 races from just 7 — that is nearly 1 in 3, a completely different rider to the one you see on a dry summer's day. Some jockeys simply have a feel for how to ride horses that are grinding through heavy conditions, keeping them balanced and not asking for effort the ground won't allow. James appears to be one of them, and that is a real and bankable skill.
The standout moment of his career so far came at Ayr, where he won a top-level race — the highest grade the sport offers in Britain. For a claimer still on a 7lb allowance, winning at that level is not a small thing. It means that on at least one occasion, everything clicked: the right horse, the right conditions, and a rider who delivered when it mattered most. Three wins from 37 rides this season might not turn heads, but there is clearly more to Mr R James than the numbers alone suggest.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punchestown | 7 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Fairyhouse | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Down Royal | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Limerick | 3 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Cheltenham | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Listowel | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Naas | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Tipperary | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Tramore | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Aintree | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Kilbeggan | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Killarney | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Clonmel | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Bellewstown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Wexford | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Galway | 1 | 0 | 0% |