Earlier this year the students on the Irish National Stud Management Course were asked to submit an essay, championing the case for one of eight broodmares – Dahlia, Darara, Ebaziya, Eight Carat, Fall Aspen, Hasili, Toussaud or Urban Sea – to be considered the best of them all. The winner was William McNeile, currently among the new intake on the Godolphin Flying Start programme, and his essay is published below.