It has been recorded that Prince Mihailo Obrenovic and the Serbian government organized the first gallop race on the circular track on 14th April 1863. The chronicler of the oldest sports facility in the capital of Serbia, journalist Zivojin Jovanovic notes:

“The first Belgrade racecourse was constructed at the place behind the cemetery, next to Stamboul road, where they used to organize fairs. This is the area where the King Alexandar Boulevard, the University of Law, the Hotel ‘Metropol’, Technical Faculty and a number of buildings in the 27. mart Street is situated today... The racetrack was in the form of ellipsis, 700 catches long (around 1,350 m). The Start and the Finish Line were on the Stamboul road, on the level of the Prince’s ‘tenth’ (guest of honours stand) next to which the stand for viewers was situated. Horses used to move in the direction of the Vukov spomenik (Vuk Karadzic monument), and then they turned to 27. mart Street. Then, they would make a circle and re-emerge to Stamboul road and back to the stands.”

With the foundation of the Danube riders society in Belgrade in 1890, equestrian sports were more actively developed, and the racecourse was moved to the area of the present-day railway station then called the ‘Bar Venice’. However, due to the inexpediency of the ground, one season later, it was moved to Banjica. This was the place where the first Serbian Derby was held with horse Filka enjoying the victory.

Since 1905 Mr Vladislav Ribnikar, the founder and the Director of the newspaper ’Politika’, has become a member of the Danube riders society... As a respected member of the management of the Riders’ Circle, Ribnikar advocated the construction of a permanent racecourse in Belgrade, which was taken into the consideration. In 1912 the Ministry of National Economy (Minister Jasa Prodanovic) alloted the land near ‘Careva Cuprija’ to the Danube riders society as it was recorded by the journalist Žika Jovanović.