The vast majority of thoroughbreds racing until the nineteen-thirties were imported from the U K. (approximately 200 annually), from Europe and from the Antipodes. Since no properly organized breeding for racing existed, very few of these imported animals found their way to stud. It is interesting to note that DARK LEGEND, FASTNET, and BUNWORRY among others raced here and returned to stud in Europe, the former two to become good sires and the latter to found a famous female line for Dormello Stud.

The ultimate roots of Indian breeding lie in the great farming estates of North India (now in Pakistan) many of which bred horses with a strong dash of thoroughbred blood mainly for the Remounts (Cavalry), and in the Government Remount Breeding Areas. Since racing was already a widespread activity at the time, inevitably a number of these horses became involved and slowly began to make their mark, We find by 1938 four Indian-breds being honorably mentioned as winning "over Rs. 10,000 in a single season" at Bombay.