Guided Tours of The National Stud return from 18 February, in time for the half-term school holidays, exclusively available through Discover Newmarket.

Home to many of the past century’s champions of the turf, The National Stud Tour will captivate the whole family, offering a fascinating snapshot of the thoroughbred breeding operation and the delightful sight of foals at play.

This year, visitors can see a new addition to the roster for 2022, the stallion Lope Y Fernandez, a Champion Sprinter and the only son of the leading sire Lope De Vega stabled in the UK. Other top stallions, including Time Test and Aclaim, will be on view, too.

The Wavertree Coffee House will also reopen under the experienced new hands of Wavertree Hospitality. The coffee house has received a fresh new look and with its talented new chef, Stuart Drake, you can expect some delicious and creative offerings from 9 am until 4.30 pm, Tuesday to Sundays inclusive.

The National Stud – set in 500 acres of grounds at the edge of Newmarket, the home of horseracing – is the UK’s only commercial thoroughbred stud open to the public. Founded by William Hall Walker in 1915 in response to a shortage of thoroughbred stallions for the cavalry and racing, The National Stud has bred multiple champions of the world’s top horseracing events.

On the 90-minute behind-the-scenes tour, by foot and coach, adults and children can hear about the history of the stud and the work that goes into producing future champions. They’ll also enjoy a close-up view of the mares with their newborn foals, as well as yearlings and stallions, in the paddocks.

The tour, which is only available to book through Discover Newmarket, the official tourism service for Newmarket and the surrounding area, runs on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays at 10.30am 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 tour can be easily combined with a visit to the nearby National Horse Racing Museum (adults £15, under-16s free) for a rewarding full day’s equine experience. 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).

Tickets can be purchased online at www.discovernewmarket.co.uk or by calling 01638 501122.