Tony McCoy could be back in the saddle as soon as next week despite suffering a major injury scare at Plumpton yesterday.
The champion jockey fractured his cheekbone in three places after Polar Red fell at the second fence in the Tyser Insurance Ltd Novices' Chase.
He was kicked in the face and was sent to the nearby Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath for X-rays, although he was later allowed to go home.
McCoy saw a specialist this morning and was told that he will not need surgery.
His personal assistant Gee Armytage said this evening: "There are three fractures, but they are not displaced too badly and they have decided not to operate. AP hopes to be back on the track next week.
"Tony is very tough and if anyone is going to come back quickly, it is him, although if you looked at him you wouldn't think he'd be riding for a day or two."