Newmarket is home to the National Stud, a thoroughbred breeding operation and the only commercial stud farm in the UK to allow visitors behind the scenes. Over the years, the National Stud has bred and been home to some of horseracing’s greats, but that wasn’t always the aim.
It all began in 1915 when Lord Wavertree donated his entire bloodstock to the British Government with the intention of spearheading a breeding programme that would supply high-quality lightweight cavalry horses for use in military campaigns. Quick advances in technology and warfare soon eliminated this need and the farm instead focused on the thoroughbred racehorse, which is still the case to this day.
