With less than three months left in the season, the cream of the young jumps riders will battle it out for the prestigious title before the winner is crowned at Sandown’s glittering end-of-season celebrations.
Here’s a look at the main contenders.
Freddie Gingell
31 Wins
If anyone was ever born to be a jockey, then it is surely Freddie.
His grandfather is Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Colin Tizzard and his late mum, Kim, played an integral role in her father’s powerful Dorset stables.
Uncle Joe is now in charge of the Tizzard operation and he is providing his nephew Freddie with plenty of ammunition.
Given Freddie is attached to the yard of 14-times Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, he is in the enviable position of being backed by two of the most successful stables in the country.
His victory on Il Ridoto for Nicholls in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November gave him another big-race success, while he has struck up an excellent partnership with Tizzard’s Copperhead.
The veteran chaser has been responsible for four of Freddie’s victories this season and the 19-year-old rider is very much the one to beat in the conditionals’ title race.
Dylan Johnston
22 Wins
Even after a breakthrough season last year, it was a surprise when Dylan was snapped up to ride as retained rider for one of jump racing’s biggest owners.
Dai Walters was so impressed with the 23-year-old, he gave him the responsibility of making him his first jockey. He has not let him down since making the switch from Olly Murphy to join Walters’ main trainer, Sam Thomas.
The partnership got off to a dream start when Johnston rode Lump Sum to win the Welsh Champion Hurdle in Walters’ familiar blue-and-white colours at Ffos Las – the course the owner created in south Wales. He led home a one-two for the owner and trainer.
The runner-up, Steel Ally, went on to provide the trio with another valuable prize when Dylan made all the running to land the feature handicap hurdle at Haydock on Betfair Chase day.
Neil Mulholland has also been a significant supporter. His Double Powerful has provided Dylan with three victories alone, but he is going to need even more firepower if he is to wrestle the title from Freddie Gingell’s grasp.
Callum Pritchard
19 Wins
It hasn’t taken Callum long to make the transition from point-to-point rider to successful conditional jockey.
The 23-year-old was champion novice rider in the amateur sphere and he has impressed since switching to the professional ranks.
His boss Ben Pauling has provided plenty of opportunities and he’s also ridden winners for former employers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, James Owen and Rebecca Curtis.
His biggest win came on Al Dancer when a superb frontrunning ride saw the pair storm home in Wincanton’s prestigious Badger Beer Chase.
He is sure to ride lots more winners in the next few months and he could be challenging for the title should Freddie Gingell falter.
Jack Hogan
19 Wins
Experienced Jack is closing in on riding out his conditional jockeys’ weight claim as he enjoys another successful season.
He is just a handful of winners off the important career milestone of 75 victories that would see him join the ranks of the fully-fledged professional jockeys.
The first few days of the season were a good advert for Jack’s talents. He somehow managed to cling on to Stormin’ Crossgales despite a slipping saddle and the pair went on to record an unlikely victory at Huntingdon.
Since then the 25-year-old – a cousin of Irish trainer Denis – has continued to boot home the winners, predominately for his boss Fergal O’Brien and notable supporter Gary Hanmer.
Caoilin Quinn
17 Wins
It’s been another season of quality and quantity for Caoilin.
After memorable victories in the Welsh National on Nassalam and in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle on Botox Has last season, he has added more big-race success to his tally this term.
The 23-year-old partnered Mark Of Gold to victory in the Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot just before Christmas, shortly after riding out his conditional jockeys’ weight claim.
Attached to Gary and Josh Moore’s stable, he is unlikely to end the season as champion, but he can look back on this campaign with pride.
Charlie Maggs
16 Wins
You get two for the price of one with Charlie Maggs.
The 19-year-old has been booting home the winners this season, but so too has his identical twin, Will.
The pair are based with Grand National-winning trainer Donald McCain and have both impressed with their riding.
Charlie is just shading it on number of winners and big-race victories. He landed the Rowland Meyrick Chase on Some Scope for Cotswolds-based Richard Hobson at Wetherby on Boxing Day and the same trainer provided him with another significant victory when Docpickedme won the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster.
The future looks very bright for the Maggs twins.
What about the David Power Jockeys' Cup?
Dylan Johnston might be playing catch up in the race to be champion conditional jockey but he leads the way in the young riders’ category of the David Power Jockeys’ Cup.
He’s narrowly ahead of Caoilin Quinn and Freddie Gingell in the brand new competition that rewards riders for success in races televised by ITV Racing during the core season.
It is decided on a points basis with ten points for a winner, eight points for finishing second, six points for third and four points for fourth. The competition runs until Friday 4 April.
Dylan’s performances in the ITV televised races has put him in pole position with a prize of £20,000 awaiting the winner of the conditionals’ division. The runner-up receives £5,000.
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