The Wellington Racing Club was first established in 1841; however, it was still nameless, and its existence only lasted for two years. It was reestablished in 1865 and had its official name in 1879.

Racing before took place in various locations, including Petone foreshore, Lyall Bay, Burnham Water (Miramar), and the Old Hutt Park course, not until 1904 when the club purchased 234 acres in Trentham. It is situated near Wellington in New Zealand, in the suburb of Trentham in Upper Hutt, next to Trentham Military Camp. Then in January 1906, the racecourse opened and held the first race, the Anniversary Handicap. In 1950, the club expanded its area and purchased another 190 acres.

The track design is widely acknowledged as one of the best in Australasia, shown by the number of world records broken at Trentham. It is also the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand. It hosts 12 race days each year. Important Races at the track include the Captain Cook Stakes, New Zealand Oaks, Thorndon Mile, and Wellington Cup.