The number in brackets after his name — the (5) — tells you something useful before he's even in the saddle. That's a claim allowance, meaning Condon is still considered an apprentice, and his mounts carry 5 pounds less weight than they otherwise would. Trainers booking him aren't just giving a young rider a chance — they're getting a practical weight advantage in the bargain, which makes him an attractive option for horses that are right on the limit.
Where Condon really catches the eye is when the ground turns soft. On wet, slightly testing ground he has won 1 from 8 races — a 12% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 8. That is more than double his overall average, and for a rider with only 44 races to his name this season, it is the kind of pattern worth filing away. Some horses — and some jockeys — simply have an instinct for riding differently when the ground gets soft, adjusting their rhythm and positioning. Whether that is what's happening here is hard to say with certainty, but the numbers are noticeable.
At just four years in, Condon is very much a work in progress, and 44 rides in a season is a relatively light book. The next twelve months
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairyhouse | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Cork | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Sligo | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Clonmel | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Punchestown | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Wexford | 3 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Down Royal | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Gowran Park | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Limerick | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Naas | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Thurles | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Roscommon | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Cheltenham | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Killarney | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Leopardstown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Kilbeggan | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Listowel | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Galway | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Ballinrobe | 1 | 0 | 0% |