Situated on the banks of the River Irvine, Bogside Racecourse was opened by the 12th Earl of Eglinton in 1807 with Bogside Races being initiated in 1808. Racing lapsed between 1824 and 1838. The course was then extended, and steeplechasing was introduced in Scotland, with the first steeplechase being recorded at Bogside in 1839. After another lapsed period, the Bogside races were revived again.
In 1858 the first Scottish Grand National was run. Then known as the West of Scotland Grand National, it was first held in Renfrewshire before moving to Bogside in 1867 following objections by a local church. The inaugural winner at Bogside was The Elk, owned by the Duke of Hamilton. The race changed to its present name of The Scottish Grand National in 1880. The Scottish Grand National remained at Bogside until the track closed in 1965 when the Horse Racing Betting Levy Board withdrew its financial funding. The race then moved to Ayr the following year.
