A tour date giving horse racing fans a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes at top trainer’s yards in Newmarket sold out within 24 hours after a rush for tickets.

East Anglian Daily Times: Shadwell Stud tack room Picture: SARAH FARNSWORTHShadwell Stud tack room Picture: SARAH FARNSWORTH (Image: Shadwell Stude)

Discover Newmarket, the town’s official tour guide, is offering tours of Shadwell Stud, visiting one of the town’s biggest trainers, William Haggas, where champions are made, and Nunnery Stud, which is home to Mukhadram, Haafhd, Nayef, Tasleet, Muhaarar and newcomer Poet’s Word, the only horse to defeat Cracksman in 2018.

Tickets are being offered for May 22, but the June 26 date is already sold out.

MORE – Ex-jockey Larry nominated as top English tour guideThe full-day experience includes a visit to William Haggas’s stables at Somerville Lodge, a visit to Palace House, which is home to the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art, lunch at the King’s Head at Dullingham, and a tour of Shadwell’s Nunnery Stud including a parade of its champion stallions.

Shadwell Stud’s Tom Pennington said it was a “unique opportunity” for the general public to gain behind the scenes access to a stud farm and followed the great success of inaugural tours last year.

“It gives the team at Shadwell great satisfaction to be able to afford members of the public a chance to visit the stud and share with them their knowledge of the horse and the intricacies of everything connected with a stud farm,” he said.

Discover Newmarket manager Megan Pollexfen said: “We received a fantastic response to these dates last year and are grateful to Shadwell for their continued support. Visitors coming on the Shadwell Tour experience in 2019 can look forward to an exceptional day out.”

Visit www.discovernewmarket.co.uk or call 0344 748 9200 or email admin@discovernewmarket.co.uk.