Rosallion soap opera continues but there's still (just) enough time left this season for a change of fortune

Rosallion is in danger of becoming the star of his own soap opera having extended his winless season with a slightly depressing effort on Saturday. But – and here's the key point – it was a defeat that can also be at least partly explained, so there will still be plenty of room for fans (like me) to convince themselves he's worth another go next time.

Two days before the race, connections were frowning at his wide draw in stall 11 and musing among themselves about how best to cope. But the fact a problem can be anticipated does not necessarily mean it can be avoided.

Not far into this City of York Stakes, there was a line of three horses just ahead of Rosallion and another line of three just behind him. So pick your poison: rein back among the stragglers and risk getting outpaced in the shortest race he's tackled for a couple of years, or kick on and use up a load of early petrol with the field already winging along.