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Jockey profile

James Banks

1,299 rides in the lifetime window · 425 individual horses
As at 6 Nov 2026 · KTB archive: 2005–present, updated daily
Last ride Feb 2018 98% of rides over jumps
Last 5 seasons Lifetime (2008→)
No rides in the last 5 seasons — showing the lifetime record, from 1 Jan 2008 — the aggregate floor: every horse in the window has a complete captured career behind it.
87–1,299
Wins / Runs
6.7%
Strike rate
n=1,299
323 (25%)
Placed
0.91
Fair A/E
n=1,298 · 0.79 incl. margin
−428.12
£1 level stake
n=1,299 at SP · −33.0%
£676k
Prize money (window)
Strike by season
0%
KTB Rider Profile

Rode around 120 times a season, almost all over hurdles and fences, winning on 7% of them — a touch below the margin-free market read across the lifetime window (Fair A/E 0.91). Riding last-time-out winners the record reads 12% (73 rides).

Deterministic profile computed from 1,299 archived runs (lifetime window) · updated 6 Nov 2026
KTB at a glance 26.1% when favourite Emma-Jane Bishop: 8.8% from 193 LTO winners: 12.3% Claiming: 7.7% Rode the favourite in 4% of races
The read

The record is strongest at Market Rasen (19.4%, n=36), Leicester (17.6%, n=34) and Fakenham (14.8%, n=61) — all clear of the rider's 6.7% baseline. Rides on last-time-out winners have been a positive signal at 12.3% (n=73, Fair A/E 0.81), but rides in big fields of 14 or more have been a poor signal at 1.9% (n=214, Fair A/E 0.52). Emma-Jane Bishop supplied 15% of the rides and edges the rider's average (8.8% vs 6.7%, A/E 1.04) — the partnership beats the margin-free market read. The rider also read well off a 0-7-day break (13.2%, n=53). The standout partner of the record was Midnight Charmer (GB) — 6 wins from 31 rides together.

Written from the figures on this page — every claim carries its sample. Descriptive, not a tip.

Riding patterns

the angles behind the record · vs 6.7% baseline
First ride on the horse · first captured pairing
5.4%−1.3
n=425 · A/E 1.09 · £1 −61.00
Last-time-out winners · previous run was a win
12.3%+5.6
n=73 · A/E 0.81 · £1 −40.00
Fresh horses · 61+ days off
6.2%−0.5
n=260 · A/E 1.22 · £1 −31.25
When favourite
26.1%
n=46 · A/E 0.94 · £1 −9.87
Claiming rides · riding with a claim
7.7%+1.0
n=951 · A/E 0.98 · £1 −292.37
Big fields · 14+ runners
1.9%−4.8
n=214 · A/E 0.52 · £1 −167.00
Group / Graded races · pattern & listed
0%−6.7
n=20 · A/E 0.00 · £1 −20.00

Each tile is the record in that situation vs the 6.7% baseline — descriptive splits with the sample always shown, for you to weigh. Tiles under 30 runs render muted. First rides are the first captured pairing of horse and rider; last-time-out winners are horses whose previous captured run was a win; claiming rides are runs where the rider carried a weight claim. Group / Graded covers pattern and listed races.

Notable angles

vs their own baseline
At Market Rasen 19.4% vs 6.7% · n=36
At Leicester 17.6% vs 6.7% · n=34
At Fakenham 14.8% vs 6.7% · n=61
With Barry Brennan 13.6% vs 6.7% · n=66
At Fontwell 13% vs 6.7% · n=77
Off a 0-7-day break 13.2% vs 6.7% · n=53
Descriptive splits ranked by divergence × sample — insight, not instruction. Every angle carries its N; nothing under 30 runs qualifies. Rows within 2pts of the baseline appear only when the market-relative read (Fair A/E) diverges, and show it.

Record by conditions

same window as header

Race type

TypeRWSR£1
Hurdle 749 44 5.9% −301.62
Chase 412 36 8.7% −117.50
NH Flat 114 4 3.5% −75.00
Flat 24 3 12.5% +66.00

Going

GoingRWSR£1
Good 447 33 7.4% −87.75
Good to Soft 298 15 5% −78.50
Soft 274 22 8% −103.50
Heavy 165 13 7.9% −101.37
Good to Firm 93 2 2.2% −79.00
Standard (AW) 21 2 9.5% +23.00
Firm 1 0 0% −1.00

Courses

CourseRWSR£1
Uttoxeter 83 5 6% −37.00
Towcester 80 3 3.8% −66.00
Fontwell 77 10 13% +44.25
Stratford 75 3 4% −49.50
Taunton 66 5 7.6% −25.00
Huntingdon 62 1 1.6% −58.00
Wincanton 62 3 4.8% −16.00
Fakenham 61 9 14.8% −15.25
Worcester 54 2 3.7% −36.50
Chepstow 53 2 3.8% −38.50
Exeter 51 2 3.9% −45.37
Plumpton 49 2 4.1% −34.50
Warwick 49 2 4.1% −32.00
Newton Abbot 37 0 0% −37.00
Southwell 36 4 11.1% −9.00

Class

ClassRWSR£1
Class 4 592 34 5.7% −240.12
Class 5 429 34 7.9% −153.00
Class 3 134 11 8.2% −32.50
Class 6 90 5 5.6% −17.00
Class 2 28 1 3.6% −13.00
Class 1 21 0 0% −21.00

Market position

In the bettingRWSRA/E£1
Favourite 56 14 25% 0.94 −11.87
2nd–3rd fav 199 28 14.1% 0.88 −52.75
4th–6th fav 459 32 7% 0.97 −62.50
7th+ in betting 585 13 2.2% 0.82 −301.00
Fair A/E per band is the tell: near 1.00 the market had it priced right; well above, the wins came where the market didn't expect them.

Rows below n=30 are shown faded — a small sample is a fact, not a trend. Every figure carries its N.

Jumping record

completion over obstacles · same window as header
78.3% completed · 1,161 obstacle rides (chases & hurdles)
CodeRCompFURPUBDOth
Chase 412 72.6% 23 15 73 1 1
Hurdle 749 81.4% 17 17 100 1 4
Chases and hurdles only — bumpers have no obstacles, so completion is not a question there. F fell · UR unseated rider · PU pulled up · BD brought down · Oth covers refusals, slip-ups, run-outs and the rare disqualification. Non-runners are excluded throughout. Rows under n=30 are shown faded. A descriptive record, not a tip.

Horses ridden

same window as header · most-raced first
HorseRWPlLast ran
Midnight Charmer (GB) 31 6 14 15 Apr 16
Top Benefit (IRE) 20 1 2 12 Mar 15
Back By Midnight (GB) 19 2 6 22 Oct 17
Friendly Society (IRE) 18 1 4 6 Mar 16
Arquebusier (FR) 17 3 9 2 Feb 18
Unknown Legend (IRE) 17 2 7 10 Apr 15
Irish Thistle (IRE) 15 1 4 23 Jul 17
Crackerjack (GB) 14 0 1 8 Oct 14
Grey Messenger (IRE) 13 0 2 11 Jan 18
Brinestine (USA) 13 0 3 30 Mar 17
Hannah Just Hannah (GB) 13 2 9 27 Dec 16
Bajardo (IRE) 12 2 4 26 Dec 17
Showing the 60 most-raced of the 425 horses ridden in this window — each ran at least 6 times. Horses with fewer runs aren't listed; search finds any horse since 2005. Runs, wins and places only: a strike rate or a return on a handful of runs is noise, so none is quoted per horse — each horse's full record is on its own page.

By month

strike by month, lifetime
JFMAMJJASOND
4787810452687
A jumps rider: the season runs Oct–Apr. Muted months are small samples (under 30 runs) — read them with the caution they deserve.

Riding for

same window · biggest samples first
Main yardEmma-Jane Bishop
15% of all rides
8.8% SR · A/E 1.04
TrainerRWSR£1
Emma-Jane Bishop 193 17 8.8% −61.25
Anthony Middleton 112 10 8.9% −50.75
Noel Williams 99 6 6.1% −54.00
Andy Turnell 78 7 9% −38.50
Dai Williams 66 5 7.6% +8.50
Barry Brennan 66 9 13.6% +8.75
Nick Lampard 48 2 4.2% +1.00
Mark Gillard 40 2 5% +10.00
Sarah-Jayne Davies 35 2 5.7% −24.50
Brendan Powell 34 2 5.9% −21.50
Alex Hales 32 2 6.3% −12.00
Richard Harper 32 3 9.4% −11.75
Muted rows are under 30 rides.

Career highlights

lifetime archive, 2005→
87
Archived wins
£676k
Prize money
2015
Best season · 29 wins
In our archive from its very first year (2005), so this career almost certainly began earlier than our record does. The figures above count 2005 onwards only — what the archive holds, not a full-career total. This card is the full archive census (2005→); the statistics in the header aggregate from 2008 — the floor that guarantees every horse a complete captured career — so this card can legitimately show more wins than the header.
Cafe Au Lait (GER) — Prix Pharaon (Hurdle) (Conditions) (4yo) (Turf) Auteuil (FR) · Jun 2014
£19,200
Unknown Legend (IRE) — David Keith Memorial Handicap Chase Fakenham · Apr 2015 · Class 3
£9,747
Rustarix (FR) — Irish Times Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase Cheltenham · Nov 2010 · Class 2
£8,403
Notable horses
Midnight Charmer (GB) Arquebusier (FR) American Life (FR) Haar (GB) Back By Midnight (GB) Unknown Legend (IRE)

Sires of the horses ridden

progeny record · win % by ground and trip
Midnight Legend (GB) 13.6% · 8–59
Progeny have won 14.2% of 8,311 runs since 2008 (494 horses).
Beneficial (GB) 5.7% · 3–53
Progeny have won 10.4% of 17,046 runs since 2008 (1,155 horses).
Kayf Tara (GB) 9.6% · 5–52
Progeny have won 12.6% of 13,756 runs since 2008 (1,148 horses). Strongest on Heavy going: 16.2% from 1,708.
Heron Island (IRE) 7.9% · 3–38
Progeny have won 11.2% of 2,819 runs since 2008 (317 horses). Strongest on Good to Firm going: 14.2% from 162.
King's Theatre (IRE) 16.7% · 5–30
Progeny have won 14.4% of 12,129 runs since 2008 (746 horses). Weakest on Standard (AW) going: 4.8% from 125. Weakest over 1m2f – 1m4f (all codes): 7.9% from 203.
Alderbrook (GB) 0% · 0–20
Progeny have won 9.7% of 3,293 runs since 2008 (299 horses).
Top line: the rider's own record with each sire's runners (win %, wins–runs), same window as the header; faded under 30 runs. Beneath it: every run by that sire's progeny in our archive since 2008, as at 6 Nov 2026 — what they have done, not a forecast. A going or a distance is named only where at least 100 progeny runs sit 3 or more points from the sire's own win rate. Distance bands cover Flat and jumps together.

The record

latest 50 of 1,302 · newest first

The latest 50 of 1,302 archived rides, newest first. The full record runs from 24 March 2005 to 2 February 2018.

DateCourseHorseRaceFinishSP
02 Feb 18 Chepstow Arquebusier (FR)T: Emma-Jane Bishop 188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview 2nd March Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 19.5f · Heavy · 8 ran 2nd 4/1
01 Feb 18 Wincanton Mr Magill (FR)T: Nick Mitchell Carling Novices' HurdleClass 3 · 15.5f · Heavy · 12 ran PU 150/1
29 Jan 18 Hereford Royal Act (GB)T: Sarah-Jayne Davies Roa/racing Post Owners' Jackpot Beginners' ChaseClass 4 · 16f · Soft · 6 ran 4th 33/1
26 Jan 18 Doncaster Allez Jacques (IRE)T: Emma Lavelle Play Sporting Life Pick 7 Now Handicap HurdleClass 4 · 24.5f · Soft · 20 ran 7th 18/1
26 Jan 18 Doncaster Hes Our Robin (IRE)T: Michael Mullineaux Sky Bet Best Odds Guaranteed Novices' Handicap HurdleClass 5 · 16.5f · Soft · 12 ran 8th 66/1
26 Jan 18 Doncaster Respectability (GB)T: Michael Mullineaux First Race Special On Sky Bet Tomorrow Novices' HurdleClass 4 · 16.5f · Soft · 11 ran F 150/1
18 Jan 18 Ludlow Fleur Du Pommier (GB)T: G C Maundrell Plymouth Carvery Mares' Novices' HurdleClass 4 · 16f · Soft · 15 ran 4th 100/1
16 Jan 18 Hereford Pembroke House (GB)T: Sarah-Jayne Davies myracing.com Festival Preview Evening on 1st March Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 19f · Soft · 13 ran 2nd 16/1
16 Jan 18 Hereford Percy Thrower (IRE)T: Sarah-Jayne Davies myracing.com For Free Hereford Tips Juvenile Maiden HurdleClass 5 · 16f · Soft · 10 ran PU 66/1
11 Jan 18 Leicester Grey Messenger (IRE)T: Emma-Jane Bishop Hose Thorns Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 20f · Soft · 15 ran UR 50/1
11 Jan 18 Leicester Respectability (GB)T: Michael Mullineaux Roa/racing Post Owners' Jackpot Novices' HurdleClass 4 · 15.5f · Heavy · 12 ran PU 250/1
11 Jan 18 Leicester Glance Back (GB)T: Emma-Jane Bishop Groby Novices' Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 16f · Soft · 8 ran 3rd 25/1
09 Jan 18 Taunton Mr Magill (FR)T: Nick Mitchell Musgrove Staff Novices' HurdleClass 4 · 19f · Soft · 14 ran 10th 200/1
07 Jan 18 Plumpton Shotgun Paddy (IRE)T: Emma Lavelle At The Races Sussex National Handicap ChaseClass 3 · 28.5f · Heavy · 11 ran 6th 7/1
06 Jan 18 Sandown Raven's Tower (USA)T: Ben Pauling 32red.com Handicap HurdleClass 2 · 16f · Heavy · 10 ran 10th 20/1
31 Dec 17 Warwick Arquebusier (FR)T: Emma-Jane Bishop Lps Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 20f · Heavy · 7 ran 4th 7/2
31 Dec 17 Warwick Royal Act (GB)T: Sarah-Jayne Davies Local Parking Security Novices' ChaseClass 4 · 16f · Heavy · 3 ran 2nd 8/1
30 Dec 17 Haydock Church Hall (IRE)T: Emma-Jane Bishop help4matt Handicap ChaseClass 3 · 20.5f · Heavy · 8 ran UR 11/2
27 Dec 17 Kempton Kostaquarta (IRE)T: Mark Gillard 32Red.com Wayward Lad Novices' Chase (Grade 2)Class 1 · 16f · Soft · 4 ran PU 100/1
26 Dec 17 Fontwell Bajardo (IRE)T: Emma-Jane Bishop Southern Cranes And Training Division Handicap ChaseClass 4 · 18f · Soft · 6 ran 3rd 7/2

Drawn from the whole archive (2005 onwards), so it can include runs outside the window the header statistics cover. Non-runners are not listed. A finish shown in letters is a non-completion (F fell · UR unseated · PU pulled up · BD brought down).

Quick answers

What is James Banks's strike rate?
James Banks has won 87 of 1,299 rides since 2008, a strike rate of 6.7% (as at 6 November 2026). Figures are computed from our own results archive.
Which course does James Banks do best at?
Fakenham by strike rate: 9 wins from 61 rides (14.8%) since 2008. Read from the 15 courses with the most rides on the same basis, and only those with at least 30 — a small sample cannot top the list, and a rarely-visited course is not in the comparison.
Which yard does James Banks ride most for?
Emma-Jane Bishop, with 193 rides since 2008 — 15% of the total. That pairing has won 17 (8.8%).
What is James Banks's Fair A/E?
0.91, from 1,298 rides with a computed fair probability since 2008. Fair A/E compares actual wins with a margin-stripped market expectation, so 1.00 is par: above it the wins came at bigger prices than the margin-free market implied, below it they did not.
Fair A/E compares wins with a margin-stripped market expectation. Favourite-heavy samples — top yards, leading riders — naturally read a few points warm, so 1.05 means "beat the margin-free market read", not "the market underrates this by 5%". Three sample sizes are reported and never blended: runs (n), the ROI basis (n at SP), and the fair-A/E basis (n with a computed fair probability).

Strike rate is wins over all runs (n). ROI is £1 level stakes at SP over runs with a parseable price (n at SP). Fair A/E is wins over margin-stripped market expectation, over runs with a computed fair probability (n fair). The three Ns can legitimately differ and are always shown. Figures as at 6 November 2026, computed from our own results archive (2005 onwards; aggregates from 2008).