Perhaps a fairly obvious selection for this week's best on breeding but a chance to pay homage to an iconic farm that, sadly, faces an uncertain future.
Ballymacoll Stud has bred some of the greats of the turf in Europe, both over the jumps and on the flat.
Its influence has even been felt in Australia through the likes of Group I Melbourne Cup hero Fiorente, Group I Metropolitan Handicap winner Sir John Hawkwood and Group I Mackinnon Stakes winner Glass Harmonium.
The 200-year-old thoroughbred stud is still owned by the Weinstock family but has been run for the past 44 years by Peter Reynolds who has been hoping to sell the stud as a going concern.
One of the outstanding horses carrying the light blue Ballymacoll silks was Pilsudski (Polish Precedent) winner of the Irish Champion Stakes, Breeders Cup Turf and Japan Cup.
Pilsudski's granddam Gay Milly is a half-sister to French Group III winner Gay Helene (Ela-Mana-Mou) both
Gay Helene is the dam of Listed winner Nash Terrace (Nashwan) but it is two of her daughters that have extended the growing success of the family.
Goodwood winner Athene (Rousillion) is the dam of Sir John Hawkwood as well as Greek Renaissance (Machiavellian) a Group III winner at Newmarket and Side Saddle (Saddler's Hall) a Group III winner at Longchamp.
Another daughter of Gay Hellene is the unraced Machiavellian mare Straight Lass the dam of Group I Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Naaqoos (Oasis Dream) and the French Group III winner Barastraight (Barathea).
The
A 360,000 guineas yearling, Dreaming Of You won a maiden at Warwick from seven starts.
Imported to Australia by Coolmore, Dreaming Of You had four foals before being consigned to the 2011 Magic Millions National Yearling sale.
Carrying a filly by Encosta de Lago, Dreaming Of You was knocked down to John Muir's Milburn Creek Thoroughbreds for $105,000.
Muir put Dreaming Of You to Not A Single Doubt, producing a colt that was knocked down to John Warren Bloodstock/China Horse Club $300,000.
Named, Freedoms he has won two races and is currently racing around Darwin.
Next year, Dreaming Of You foaled a Snitzel filly that died shortly after birth.
Back to Not A Single Doubt, Dreaming Of You produced another colt that was purchased by Redgum Racing for $210,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions National Yearling sale.
He has originally been catalogued for the Inglis Premier Yearling sale but broke his jaw prior to the sale.
Named Doubt I'm Dreaming and sent to John McArdle, the son of Not A Single Doubt could not have been any more impressive at his racetrack debut in the Listed Ascend Sales Valley Pearl (1200m) at Moonee Valley. (photo Grant Courtney).
He was back from $13 to $7 that day but you won't see anything like that on Saturday when Doubt I'm Dreaming lines up in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Cup (1200m) at Caulfield.
