A FLU-RIDDEN Willie Carson yesterday sought to play down the significance of his latest hint that he is close to bringing the curtain down on his 38-year riding career.

He claimed there is "nothing new" in comments that the 1997 Flat turf season could be his last in the saddle and that he would review his position after the Classics have been staged.

Although back on the sicklist, Carson says he has completely recovered from the kick that lacerated his liver and caused severe internal bleeding last September.

He has already sat on a racehorse and is now planning to start on a fitness course with a view to returning to action by the start of the new campaign in March. "I have not said anything new. The situation is exactly the same as it was before," he said.

"The injury is all fine now. I aim to be back in action for the start of the Flat, it's just a matter of getting fit now.

Carson has been considering his future for some time and indicated last season that the 1996 Derby could be his last only to brush aside all further inquiries about retirement. But the subject became unavoidable following the horrific accident at Newbury that put him in hospital for 11 days.

It seems the prospect of teaming up again with the unbeaten Bahhare, ante-post favourite for the 2,000 Guineas, is providing the 54-year-old Carson with the incentive to return to action.

Carson will be hoping Baharre, owned by his employer Hamdan Al Maktoum, can become his 19th British Classic winner but his future with the Sheikh, who has retained the jockey's understudy Richard Hills, has still to be discussed.

"We have not heard from Willie as to whether he has decided to carry on riding. But if he does then Sheikh Hamdan will decide whether he wants him," said racing manager Angus Gold.

Like Lester Piggott, Carson is known for the quality as much as quantity of his winners. He is the fourth most successful jockey in British Flat racing history and has partnered well over 3,500 winners.

But it is big race successes for" which he will be most remembered. Carson has won the Epsom Derby four times, on Troy in 1979, Henbit in 1980, Nashwan in 1989 and Erhaab in 1994.

Even before his horrific accident at Newbury, last year had proved a trying one for Carson. He started it full of hope, with his mount Alhaarth clear favourite for both the 2,000 Guineas and Derby. But that colt was beaten at odds-on on his reappearance and little went right for Carson afterwards.

He hit the headlines in May for a very costly error of judgment. Riding the odds-on favourite Kamari in a maiden at Lingfield, he failed to spot the challenging Major Dundee until it was too late and was handed a seven-day suspension by the stewards.

He briefly made the news for happier reasons when partnering Matiya to victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas later in the month. But that triumph turned sour almost immediately as he was banned by the Curragh stewards for wearing an out-of-date safety helmet, a suspension which was subsequently overturned.