ɹˈeɪshɔːɹsᵻz wɜː tɹˈeɪnd ɪn wˈɪtfɚd, ænd ɪnðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti z ðə nˈeɪθən fˈæmɪli ɛkwˈɛstɹiən tɹˈæk hˈɛld lˈɑːɹdʒskˈeɪl ɹˈeɪsɪŋ ᵻvˈɛnts, wˌɪtʃ pˈiːpəl fɹʌm ˈɔːklənd ɐtˈɛndᵻd baɪ fˈɛɹi.
Racehorses were trained in Whitford, and in the 1890s the Nathan family equestrian track held large-scale racing events, which people from Auckland attended by ferry.