In 1999 Kevin and Susan Mercer purchased two adjoining farms on a rolling Welsh hillside in Monmouthshire. Both farms had been used for rearing cattle and there were few facilities for breeding thoroughbred racehorses. In the years since, this beautiful property overlooking the valley of the river Usk has been transformed into a top class thoroughbred stud, producing equine athletes of the highest quality.

We pride ourselves at Usk Valley Stud in maintaining the highest standards of equine care. The stud enjoys a sheltered location and mild climate, the rich, fertile soil and 140 acres of prime pasture makes this all the easier and we have an exceptional success rate with our breeding regime, walking in each of our mares to Newmarket from home.

We have a range of purpose-built indoor yards, although we prefer the horses to spend as much time outside as possible. The centre of operations is our foaling barn which is an original 17th century barn lovingly restored, containing two large foaling boxes.

We have already enjoyed many racing successes, Croeso Cariad, purchased as a yearling was a champion in Italy in 1999 and is now one of our finest broodmares. She is from the family of Reprocolor and has so far produced four quality foals.

In 2000, Zanzibar, another yearling purchase was the run-away winner of the Group 1 Oaks d’Italia, and is also enjoying a broodmare career on the stud her first offspring - Spice Route is already top class winner.

Our yearlings are prepared for sale in-house. Our most notable winners to date are listed below:

 

Tarjman - 4 wins, £65,743 & Second in Hungerford Stakes Group 3

Nota Bene - 4 wins, placed once and £44,970 inc Paddy Power Lucky Friday 13th Carnarvon Stakes (Listed Race)

Johnny The Fish - 2 wins and £182, 494 inc St Leger Yearling Stakes

Nantyglo - 2 wins and placed 3 times, £35,555 including EBF Fillies' And Mares' Conqueror Stakes, Listed Race and  third in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes,

Rajeem - 3 Wins and £140,152 inc: Falmouth Stakes, Group 1 (beating Nannina) and EBF Montrose Fillies' Stakes, Listed Race

Spice Route - 2 Wins and over £35,000 to date

Tony the Tap - 3 wins, 13 places and  £56,644 to date

Porthcawl - 4 wins at 3 to 5 years in UK and USA inc Glendale Handicap, Turf paradise

Gower Song - 6 wins and £140, 784 including Dubai City of Gold (Haafd) Stakes, Gr.3, Nad al Sheba, 2008 and Totesport 0800 221 221 E B F Gillies Fillies' Stakes Listed Race, to date

Solva - 2 wins and £27,739 Listed Winner to date

Carolines Secret - Group 3 placed in Germany

Our highest priced yearling so far, by Cadeaux Genereux / Khubza is a half sister to the successful sire Trans Island and Group 3 winner Welsh Diva which realised 500,000 gns at the 2003 Highflyer sale. Our highest price colt is a Dubai Destination x Khubza at £375,000, sold in 2006