Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Richie Condon to ride in the US over summer

Fresh off the back of an unforgettable spring, Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Richie Condon is set for a spell in America this summer and is excited by the prospect of joining forces with talented trainer Keri Brion.

The 25-year-old conditional jockey, who came to prominence through his Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham heroics aboard Coral Cup winner Heaven Help Us, will relocate next month for the remainder of the summer, targeting a Nashville fixture on June 26 as his first meeting.

The Cork native is hoping the link-up established with Brion when she temporarily stabled a number of runners in Ireland – becoming the first US trainer to saddle a winner over jumps in Ireland last month – could now bear fruit.

Richie Condon: returned to Ireland from Britain in 2019Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"I'm really looking forward to getting over there," said Condon, who rode out for the former assistant to legendary trainer Jonathan Sheppard while she was based in County Wexford.

"It's hard for anyone to make an impact in Ireland so for Keri to come over here and do as well as she did was fantastic. Once the ground got a bit nicer, things really took off for her. It's very exciting to be travelling there now."

Condon spent the early years of his rules career in Britain, apprenticed to Brendan Powell in Lambourn before partnering winners for Neil King, Johnny Farrelly and Kim Bailey, including a bumper debut win on Vinndication at Ludlow.

The 7lb-claiming rider has been supported by trainers such as Pat Fahy, John 'Shark' Hanlon and Joseph O'Brien since returning home in 2019, and successfully linked up with Heaven Help Us's handler Paul Hennessy for the biggest victories of his career this year.

"It's been the stuff of dreams," he said of the memorable period.

Watch Heaven Help Us win the 2021 Coral Cup

"When I asked Heaven Help Us to pick up coming to the last at Cheltenham, she took off. It was unbelievable. The jockeys were very good to come out for a guard of honour after the race in the parade ring too."

Richie Condon on Heaven Help Us's Coral Cup win: 'When I asked her to pick up coming to the last she absolutely took off'Credit: Edward Whitaker

He added: "She's as honest as the day is long and loves her racing. You could see that from Leopardstown and Cheltenham – she really wears her heart on her sleeve and the public seemed to latch onto her."

The Hennessy-trained seven-year-old was down the field in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at last month's Punchestown festival, but Condon believes the likeable mare can be forgiven for that showing.

"You have to remember that she had six runs over fences before heading back over hurdles at Leopardstown," he said.

"She was on the go since starting off in a mares' beginners' chase at Sligo in September. It had been a very long season but she's been a brilliant mare."

Read more:

Condon brands Paul Hennessy 'a genius' after Heaven Help Us romps to victory

Top greyhound trainer Paul Hennessy thanking his lucky stars for Heaven Help Us

'I was doing something which wasn't me' – Ryan Day quits race-riding at 27

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