KEY POINTS:
The movement in Michael Walker's right hand was almost too slight to be detected.
But to his partner, Candace Smith, it was like a billion-dollar handshake.
As Walker lay unconscious in a critical condition with head injuries in Auckland City Hospital's intensive care unit, Ms Smith whispered in his ear, "I love you".
"Michael tried to squeeze my hand," Ms Smith told her grandmother Lorraine Nolan.
Reports yesterday that Walker had regained consciousness were wrong.
But there are tiny signs of hope.
Although he is still in an induced coma, New Zealand's champion jockey is showing signs of response.
Mrs Nolan said a nurse told her, "I think he's going to make it," when Walker displayed signs of flickering his eyelids.
As well, she said, Walker apparently coughed when a tube was being removed from his throat and the nurse performing the procedure said: "That's a delightful sign - it shows his brain is telling his body how to respond."
But specialists say Walker's condition has been grave.
"From what we know, Michael is very, very ... on the edge of life," said Mrs Nolan.
With Candace at the bedside vigil is the pair's son, 2-year-old Kase.
Walker was injured when he fell down a 10m bluff while pig hunting on Monday.
He was taken by helicopter to Taranaki Base Hospital and transferred later that night to the neurological unit at Auckland City Hospital.
Candace Smith's grandfather, Taranaki horse trainer Ron Nolan, nearly vetoed the pig-hunting trip.
Nolan had wanted Walker to ride at this week's barrier trials on his horse Mickey, named after the jockey.
"But in the finish Ron told Michael he'd been working hard riding on raceday and deserved the break, and told him he went hunting with his blessing," said Mrs Nolan.
Jockeys have for years astounded the medical profession with their ability to recover quickly from serious injury.
Perhaps it's their innate toughness combined with superb fitness, but they have countless times shown extraordinary resilience.
A decade ago, champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan nearly lost a leg in a race fall.
He and astounded physicians when he went on to break every race-riding record in the books. Michael Walker has been systematically breaking those records.
With 173 wins this racing season, he was on track to become the first jockey to ride 200 winners in a racing year.
Walker's family said yesterday they wanted to thank everybody.
"Michael is a man with real determination and fight and we are hopeful that with the compassion shown, he will continue along the road to recovery," said a family statement.
"With the strength of his mother, father, grandmother and the rest of the family, we remain strong together, providing Michael with as much support as possible."
