Smiler riding his luck

The deputies certainly started off well after Johnson's accident in which the horse he was riding for Hobbs, Ilico II, died at the Exeter track. Widger replaced Johnson on Handyman later in the day and won, then Flynn was victorious for Hobbs on Supreme Prince.

Widger, the son of a Waterford butcher-farmer, who produced his own beef, had jump racing in the blood. Yet you have to go a long way back to find it.

His great-uncle, the fearless amateur rider Joe Widger, rode Wild Man From Borneo to victory in the Aintree Grand National of 1895.

And Robert came into the sport along the same path trodden by John Francome, via the showjumping arena, representing Ireland as a teenager in Holland, Italy and Britain.

He joined Co Cavan trainer Shane Donohoe, who told Hobbs while they were having a drink at the Punchestown Festival that he had a useful lad on his books. As a result, Widger came over to Sandhill for a few weeks, Hobbs liked what he saw and the embryo jockey stayed.

Since then his biggest win has been on Hobbs's Bouchasson in a Grade 3 Punchestown handicap. Bouchasson, who was rated 130 at one time, but has slipped to 116, still has good races in him, and was a bargain-buy for Hobbs. The ex-French gelding cost him £2,000 at the St Cloud sales more than a year after his original offer for the horse of £20,000 was rejected. The chaser was originally aimed at last Saturday's Charisma Gold Cup but was not ready.

Widger said: "He should be out in about a fortnight.

"He had been stopping in his races and we couldn't understand why. Yet he is more of a spring than a winter horse and comes to himself better then."

The day after Johnson's mishap, Widger teamed up with One Knight at Chepstow, to win by four lengths from Shardam. The winner is obviously smart and Widger said: "He is by Roselier so we should see the best of him over fences. However, he should be kept to hurdling this season and wins over timber will be a bonus."

Hobbs, summing up the stable's situation, said: "Robert and Paul will ride the majority of the horses between them, but when owners want to look outside and pick the best available, that's all right with me."

Widger knows how Johnson is feeling, having broken an ankle and badly injuring a shoulder on the track, plus snapping both wrists while showjumping.

He said: "It is a hard life in my position, but if you keep your head down, you will win in the end."

With what happened to Johnson fresh in his mind, one would have thought that Widger would be surrounded by all the paraphernalia of a jump jockey's superstition - rabbit's feet et al.

But he laughs in the face of such fears, and even drives a metallic green BMW 3 series - despite green cars being considered bad luck among superstitious jockeys.

"It doesn't bother me - cars are for getting from A to B as far as I'm concerned," said Widger, who clocks up 50,000 miles a season.

Getting to the winning post before anyone else will concern the lad they call "Smiler" because of his everpresent grin. He should have plenty to smile about by the end of this season.