LORCAN WYER was yesterday facing up to a long spell on the sidelines as he underwent surgery on his shattered jaw. The Dublin-born rider was said to "ill but stable" by a spokeswoman at the Walton Hospital in Liverpool.

His jaw was broken in several places after the fall from Thornton Gate in a handicap hurdle at Aintree on Saturday. Wyer, 32, is also believed to have broken a collar-bone and sustained hip injuries.

The jockey was initially taken to the Fazakerley Hospital before being transferred to the specialist maxilla-facial unit at the Walton Hospital.

Marjorie, mother of trainer Tim Easterby, said yesterday: "Lorcan's not so good at the moment and we're all hoping he's not going to be out for too long.

"Lorcan's fall itself wasn't so bad. It's just that he got caught by some of the horses following.