Richard Hannon is still taking stock of Rosallion's Sky Bet City of York Stakes defeat but hasn't given up hope of an end-of-season trip to America with the four-year-old.
Last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes hero has yet to get his head in front during a frustrating campaign and could manage only fourth behind Never So Brave when dropped back to seven furlongs for the newly-upgraded York Group 1 on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking on Monday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Hannon admitted to being underwhelmed with Rosallion's performance.
"His run was disappointing," said Hannon. "I watched it again over the weekend and he got his head down and he battled and he tried his best, no problem that way, but he didn't quite run to what he has been doing in his last two races.
"So that was disappointing, and we'll have to dust ourselves off and look for what we're going to do and where we're going to go next.
"I've always thought he would be very adaptable to the Breeders' Cup Mile. You know, with the way he travels, his speed. And I've got to speak to (owner) Sheikh Mohammed Obaid this morning. I don't think the Moulin... it comes a little quick and I don't want to go to a race like that on the back of this so close to it.
"But I'd love to think we could go to the Breeders' Cup. But, you know, let's see how it goes. We've got to think about him as a stallion, and I think it's essential that we win somewhere.
"I honestly think he would go around there (Del Mar) like a Scalextric, but then again, you are reliant on getting a good draw.
"And if he does that, he will have early speed. He'd be able to kick, you know, there's two bends, he'll be able to kick off the last bend and I've always thought he'd be very hard to beat in a Breeders' Cup."
Hannon did deliver the goods for Rosallion's owner at York, landing the Group 3 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes on the same Saturday card.
King Of Cities was winning for the first time since a Chester novice as a juvenile 12 months earlier and although the horse's attitude had been called into question, his trainer hopes a return to winning ways could signal the start of something major for the son of Dubawi.
Hannon reflected on the weekend win, saying: "I thought he was coming there to win quite impressively, but he wanders around a bit. And if you see Sean (Levey, jockey), when he's stuck in the guts of a finish, he had to pull his stick through and hit him on the other side which just straightened him up in the end.
"Reading between the lines, I don't think Ryan (Moore) liked him when he rode him at Goodwood. Not on ability, purely on... I think the right word would be concentration. Lots of horses hang at Goodwood but I don't think he gave Ryan an easy time and he looked like he could have, and he should have, but he didn't put his best foot forward there.
"So we were going to try and ride him handy (at York) and that didn't happen - he missed the gate.
"But I think he's got an awful lot of ability, he's by probably the best sire in the world and he's going to be a very nice horse for the rest of this year, and probably next year as well.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he won something like the Juddmonte next year."
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