Sam James

The clearest sign of his quality is what happens when he rides for trainer Karl Burke. From 153 races together they have combined for 34 wins — that is 1 in every 4.5 races, or 22%, which is the kind of return that makes a trainer keep picking up the phone to the same jockey. Burke runs a serious, ambitious yard, and the fact that James has become his go-to rider says a great deal about the trust he has earned. When you add that James has won 11 top-level races across his career — at prestigious venues like York and Newmarket — it is clear this is not someone who only thrives in smaller company.

His win on the Newmarket July course on 22 August 2025 was the latest addition to a list of big-day performances, and Newmarket is as demanding a place to ride well as exists in British racing. The course is long and exposed, with no bends, and it rewards judgement and timing over luck. Winning there matters.

The fine details of his record are interesting too. On fast, dry ground he has won 1 from 4 races this season — 25%, or 1 in every 4 — suggesting he is particularly effective when horses are running at their quickest. At Leicester specifically he has turned 6 rides into 3 winners, a 50% conversion that is extraordinary at any level. Some jockeys simply read certain tracks better than others, and Leicester appears to suit his style perfectly. Still only four years into his career with 262 wins already banked and a rising trajectory, James looks like a jockey whose best days are very much still ahead of him.