The racecourse was established, as the City Sporting Club, in 1886. When the racecourse first opened, it was sustained by farmers with plow and oxen. Locals were requested to come to the racecourse with their bikes and scooters to ensure that divots were repaired. In 2006, an additional track was constructed at Scottsville Racecourse.

It is situated in Pietermaritzburg, in the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, Natal Midlands, South Africa. A less than an hour’s drive from Durban and the King Shaka International Airport and only 2.5 kilometers from the center of Pietermaritzburg.

It is one of the most attractive racecourses in South Africa and home to some of the finest horseracing and pari-mutuel betting available in the country. It has become one of the top tourist destinations in Pietermaritzburg with its racecourse maintained the old-fashioned way of the plow and oxen, which is hardly found anymore. It was also the setting for Racing Stripes, a 2005 children’s movie about a racing zebra. Another known feature of the track is the horse statue situated at the back of the racecourse. The 14-meter Pegasus is the largest horse statue globally, greeting visitors into the Golden Horse Casino.

Every Sunday, the racecourse showcases an average of 8 to 9 races offering a wide selection of horse betting options that include straight bets, Trifecta, Quartet, Swinger, Exacta, Pick 6, Place Accumulator, and Jackpot. The most valuable race at Scottsville is the Golden Horse Casino Sprint every year, running over 1,200 meters, or 6 furlongs, in May each year.