Retained as stable jockey for Wathnan Racing since October 2023, shortly after steering home Ballymount Boy to a Stakes win at Doncaster, James is one of the leading jockeys on the international scene. He comes from a racing family – born just outside Newmarket, he is the son of former trainer Jacqueline Doyle. His sister Sophie Doyle is also a jockey, and rides in the US. James had his first race ride in 2004 at the age of sixteen, and became stable jockey to trainer Roger Charlton in 2012, winning his first Group 1 race that same year with Cityscape in Dubai. He partnered the Champion Al Kazeem to three high-profile European Group 1 successes the following year.