The Ashhurst-Pohangina Racing Club has a proud history stretching back to 1891, when the club was formed on 1 August and held its first race meeting on 29 December 1891 at Otangaki Flat in Ashhurst. The club quickly became an important part of the sporting and social life of the Ashhurst and Pohangina districts.

The club raced at its own course in Ashhurst for more than 50 years, with the venue becoming a well-known meeting place for racing enthusiasts from throughout the Manawatū. By the early 20th century, the club was conducting substantial race meetings, with the Ashhurst Cup and Pohangina Handicap among its feature events.

The course was also utilised by the Manawatu Trotting Club during periods when Awapuni was unavailable, highlighting the importance of Ashhurst as a racing venue in the wider region. The club's final meetings at Ashhurst were held in 1942, after which the site was used by the New Zealand Army as a military camp during the Second World War.

In 1946, the Ashhurst-Pohangina Racing Club moved its race meetings to Awapuni Racecourse, where it continued its association with racing in the Manawatū. The former Ashhurst racecourse remained in use as a training centre until 1979, before the land was ultimately developed as part of the Ashhurst Domain sportsgrounds.

Today, the former racecourse site remains an important part of Ashhurst's heritage, preserving the memory of a club that played a significant role in the early development of racing in the Pohangina Valley and wider Manawatū region.