Article supplied by Travel Tappers
* Free Sundays at National Horse Racing Museum in January
Champion stallion Stradivarius will be the star of this year’s tours of The National Stud when they return on 17 February. The legendary racehorse (pictured) retired to stud in 2022 after a stellar career winning group races on multiple occasions including the Goodwood Cup, which he won a record-breaking four times. He will be on view alongside the other resident stallions, as well as ex-racehorse favourites Lord Windermere and The Tin Man.
The 90-minute National Stud Tour, by coach and foot, is exclusively available from Discover Newmarket (01638 501122, https://discovernewmarket.co.uk), the official tourism service for the town and the surrounding area. It offers a fascinating look behind the scenes at the only commercial thoroughbred breeding operation open to the public in the UK.
The National Stud was founded by Colonel Hall Walker in 1915 to initially breed horses for the military to remedy the country’s dangerous shortage of thoroughbreds due to the First World War.
Visitors taking the family-friendly tour hear about its history and the work that goes into making future champions of the turf. They also enjoy the delightful spectacle of newborn foals, yearlings and mares out in the paddocks across this 500-acre site.
The National Stud Tour can be easily combined with a visit to the nearby National Horse Racing Museum, which is offering free entry to adults on Sundays throughout January, a saving of £15. Under-16s already go free.
The Museum is set in the palace of Charles II, who popularised the town as a sporting venue. It features an interactive exhibition dedicated to the story of the sport, the Packard Galleries of British Sporting Art, and the flagship home of the charity Retraining of Racehorses, where visitors can meet former racehorses and the people who look after them.
The National Stud Tour runs on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays at 10.30am and 1.30pm until the end of October and costs £15 per person or £35 for a family ticket (two adults, two children). Private tours are available at other times for a supplementary £50 fee on top of standard ticket prices. Group tours can also be arranged
The National Stud can also be visited as part of the half-day tour The Newmarket Experience (from £65 per person) and the full-day tour The Ultimate Newmarket Experience (from £95 per person).
For short breaks, there are plenty of hotels, B&Bs and self-catering options to suit all budgets at https://discovernewmarket.co.uk/stay
