Rob James celebrates first Grade 1 graduate as a handler

 

Now trained by Fergal O’Brien, the seven-year-old made all the running under Kielan Woods to land the Grade 1 contest at Sandown, confirming his status as one of the leading British-based novice chasers this season.

While James has previously been associated with several top-class horses during his career, this was the first time a horse he trained himself has gone on to score at the highest level.

 

“It was brilliant to be fair. It was great to see him go on and do it,” said James.

 

Sixmilebridge began his career between the flags under James in the spring of 2023, when he was trained for the Matchmaker Syndicate.

A son of Affinisea out of the Haatef mare Luck Or Logic, he made two appearances in four-year-old maidens, unseating on his debut at Lingstown before finishing a promising second to Trim Castle at Castletown-Geoghegan.

 

Even at that early stage, James felt the gelding showed above-average ability.

 

“His work was very good at home. They wouldn’t be drilled much, and we would always leave plenty in them. He finished second to Gordon Elliott’s horse [Trim Castle], and he probably improved an awful lot from that run.”

 

That point-to-point effort proved sufficient to attract interest from the sales ring, and Sixmilebridge was subsequently offered at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in April 2023, where he was purchased for £100,000 by Ben Pauling and Highflyer Bloodstock. He quickly justified that price, winning a bumper at Sandown on his first start under Rules.

 

A subsequent change of yard saw him move to Fergal O’Brien, under whose care he has continued to progress steadily. He has now recorded five victories for O’Brien, culminating in Saturday’s Grade 1 success, where he jumped boldly from the front and asserted on the run-in to score decisively. 

 

For James, who has been associated with Grade 1 performers such as Shishkin, Brandy Love and Stellar Story, watching the gelding reach the top of the sport has been a source of satisfaction.

 

“I know I’ve been involved with plenty of good horses over the years, but that’s the first Grade 1 winner that I’ve trained myself.”

 

That Sandown success also served as a reminder of the role played by the point-to-point system in developing future stars. From two educational runs between the flags to Grade 1 glory, Sixmilebridge’s progression highlights the value of the grounding gained at grassroots level.

 

With Cheltenham now on the horizon, Sixmilebridge holds entries in both the Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, leaving connections with a significant decision over whether to drop back to two miles or step up in trip.

 

While the spotlight has naturally fallen on Sixmilebridge, James continues to work away with a sizeable team at home. The handler has had a quieter season so far, with 11 runners, but among his 27 hunter-certified horses he holds a strong group of 16 four-year-olds ready to run in the coming weeks.

“It’s been very quiet in the autumn for us," he said. "A couple of horses pulled muscles and things just didn’t go right early on, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks we’ll start to see a few of the four-year-olds coming out.”