WILLIE CARSON was yesterday "out of immediate danger" but remains in intensive care at Basingstoke's North Hampshire Hospital after receiving a kick in the stomach from a horse he was about to mount at Newbury on Friday.

Flowers, cards and messages of support have flooded in from wellwishers including one from Queen Elizabeth, for whom Carson has ridden many winners, notably her last Classic victor, the 1977 Oaks and St Leger heroine, Dunfermline.

Carson, aged 53, spent a comfortable night but his consultant Myrddin Rees has still not ruled out the possibility of surgery which would result in the removal of part of the jockey's liver.

"Mr Carson had a much better night and remains in remarkably good spirits. Our indicators from yesterday and this morning are that the bleeding has stopped and that the damage to the liver has not extended," he said.

"We cannot exclude the possibility of surgery at a later date but he seems to be out of immediate danger. I am a lot happier with his condition today."

Carson will remain in hospital for two weeks but he is expected to make a full recovery and be fit to return to riding within three months. However, with the Flat turf campaign ending in early November, his season in the saddle is over and he will almost certainly spend part of the winter break contemplating his future.