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O'Brien ponders Saxon Warrior's immediate future

Saxon Warrior was a big disappointment at Sandown, but a virus was the apparent cause
Saxon Warrior was a big disappointment at Sandown, but a virus was the apparent cause

Aidan O'Brien will decide on Saxon Warrior's participation in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes within the next 10 days.

The 2000 Guineas winner finished fourth, beaten five lengths, by Roaring Lion in the Juddmonte International at York last week.

On his previous start he had only been a neck behind John Gosden's grey in the Eclipse and O'Brien admitted that after the Sandown race, Saxon Warrior had been affected by the virus which his yard struggled with in mid-summer.

"He was very sick after Sandown. We had it in our mind if we got him back he'd go to York and then come back to Leopardstown and then we might go back to a mile (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) at Ascot," said O'Brien.

"The thing is now whether we give him another go at a mile and a quarter, because he was very sick and you'd have to say that he could come on a good bit from it.

"We'll decide in the next 10 days."

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