SIDELINED jockey Willie Carson yesterday announced that he is hoping to return to race-riding. There had been speculation that the 53-year-old would be forced into retirement by last month's horrific accident which left him in intensive care.

But the four-time Derby-winning rider said yesterday: "I hope to be back for the start of the racing season in March."

He added that doctors had warned him not even to think about riding competitively until the end of this year.

"I have to get back in the gym and then see what happens," he said.

Carson was kicked by Meshhed when he went to mount her in the Newbury paddock on September 20th.

He said: "I just remember going up to this Meshhed filly, first time out, and I knew we were going to have problems with her.

"Not in the paddock, though, I thought I was going to have the problems at the start as she was a bit funny going to the stalls.

"I just remember putting my hand up to grab the rein and then the next thing is her back-side is touching my nose and then bang. Then I remember being in a lot of pain."

The jockey added: "When I put my hand out to get hold of the reins, I saw her eye and I thought `I want out of here' but she jumped forward and wham.

"If she had been a person, she would have got two years, that filly - for GBH!"

Of the surgeon's decision not to operate, Carson said: "If he had operated on me, then that would have finished me forever - well, riding.

"It's not normal not to operate. But he took the chance in not doing so that I would recover a lot quicker and he was right."

Carson said he wanted to continue race riding but added that the final decision would depend on his recovery, which was progressing well.

Carson stressed his eagerness to return to action in an interview with ITN.

"I need the adrenalin rush you get from racing," he said. I love it and I enjoy it."