The National Stud has been granted charitable status in respect of its non-commercial activities.

The charity will be known as the Wavertree Charitable Trust in memory of Lord Wavertree, who presented his stud and bloodstock to the nation in 1916.

Charitable status enables the number and range of courses offered to be expanded and also to continue to be offered without charge to students or employers.

Stud chairman Andrew Parrish said: "This new charitable status is a key milestone in the stud's development, and offers us a stable and viable structure for our long-term future.

"It also provides a major opportunity to bring new sources of charitable funding into the stud to sustain and develop our education and training activities."

Sir Peter O'Sullevan has agreed to become patron of the new trust and added: "I am very happy to renew my association with the National Stud in this way.

"It is a unique and valuable institution. I am especially enthusiastic to see the stud continue to develop its highly regarded education services and its role in making breeding more accessible to the public."