No more force
Last season's Champion juvenile has failed to recapture his form and is a "shadow of his former self" according to O'Brien
AIDAN O'BRIEN admitted Air Force Blue "is only a shadow of what he was" following another poor performance at the Curragh on Sunday.
The War Front colt was crowned last season's champion two-year-old after completing a hat-trick of Group One victories in the Dewhurst at Newmarket and was odds-on to make a winning return and claim Classic glory in the 2000 Guineas.
However, he was bitterly disappointing on the Rowley Mile, and then fared little better in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the July Cup.
A drop in grade for the Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the weekend failed to yield any improvement as he trailed home last of seven runners.
O'Brien said: "We'll see how he is. Obviously we'll talk about it over the next week.
"It was a very disappointing run. He never really took off and is only a shadow of what he was.
"We'll see over the next couple of weeks."
O'Brien did have news on another of his top juveniles from last season; Hit It A Bomb.
The War Front colt stretched his unbeaten record to three in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland and while he has not been seen in competitive action this year, he holds a host of big-race engagements for the second half of the season.
Hit It A Bomb holds an entry in the Betfred Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, but he is set to make his comeback closer to home in the Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday.
O'Brien also has Cougar Mountain, The Happy Prince and Air Vice Marshal engaged in the Hungerford, but he is not certain to be represented in Berkshire.
"He (Hit It A Bomb) goes for the Desmond," said the Ballydoyle handler.
"Cougar Mountain is a possible (for the Hungerford) but I'm not sure if we'll go with anything.
"It's more unlikely than likely."