Located in the suburb of Rosehill, near Parramatta in Sydney's west, the racecourse was opened in 1885, and along with Randwick, is one of the two main tracks in Sydney. While the track does not see as much Group One racing as its cross-town counterpart, it is home to the Golden Slipper, the only race of the 'big four' to be held in Sydney, and the richest race for two-year olds in the world.

Before the introduction of the Championships at Randwick, Rosehill races were the highlight of the autumn carnival in Sydney. Aside from the Slipper, races such as the George Ryder Stakes and the Rosehill Guineas really kick-start a month of high-quality racing in the harbour city, in the only race meeting in the country that features five Group Ones. The BMW Stakes over 2400 metres a week later is another definite highlight, rounding out the Rosehill carnival. During spring, racing returns to Rosehill for its last Group One of the year, in the 1400-metre Golden Rose, which always manages to attract the most talented three-year-olds from around Australia. 

In a unique, box-shaped track, the home of the Golden Slipper has four turns in a track that seems to be constantly turning round a corner. For Melbourne-based horses coming up for the Sydney carnival, the forever clockwise-turning Rosehill track proves a definite challenge, especially for young horses unaccustomed to the Sydney way of going. Despite the almost-circular track layout, the 408-metre home straight is by no means short, providing ample opportunity for jockeys to get out and flash down the outside.