The history of horse racing in Nottingham first occurred as early as 1689 on the Forest Racecourse, on which the Forest Recreation now stands. Still, the first meeting at Colwick Park, on land belonging to the former Colwick Hall estate, was not staged until 1892. In 1992, Nottingham Racecourse celebrated its centenary by completing a new members’ stand when Desert Orchid officially opened. The racecourse originally staged both Flat and National Hunt racing but, National Hunt racing ceased in 1996. Nowadays, it stages 18 Flat racing fixtures between April and November.

Its own station served it until the late 1960s, when the line was shut down. There are still remnants of the station wall on what is now Colwick loop road. In 2014, it was awarded the prestigious Gold Standard by the Racehorse Owners Association, acknowledging the upgrading and quality of its facilities.

It is located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, and situated at Colwick Park, close to the River Trent and about 3 km east of the city center. It is owned by Jockey Club Racecourses and is home to popular business and conferencing facilities. It is well-known for such facilities across the county because it also hosts beer festivals, Ladies Days, and great Family Fun Days aside from racing.