The Trump, although small framed was good enough to win a Caulfield and Melbourne Cup in 1937

The Trump was of diminutive stature, measuring 15 hands and 1 inch. Its lineage can be traced back to the highly regarded, yet temperamental racehorse Manfred, who in turn was sired by the exceptional stallion Valais, a horse of British origin renowned for his outstanding qualities. His dam Koanie was by the good racehorse Spearhead (GB) who sired 21 stakes-winners. Koanie was also the dam of Legislator, 1939 by Law Maker (IRE), who won the 1942 Tasmanian Guineas and later sired 9 stakes-winners for a total 19 stakes-wins between them. Manfred won the AJC and VRC Derbies, WS Cox Plate and the 1926 Caulfield Cup that his son, The Trump would go on to emmulate. The Trump was owned by Mr E. “Darcy” Eccles and trained by former champion jumps jockey, Stan Reid, who we believe trained out of Foxton stables in New Zealand originally.

Racing as a two-year-old, The Trump won the VATC Stakes and was placed in three other starts during the season. As a three-year-old, he won the Stand Handicap and ran third in the Caulfield Guineas, after which he was made the favourite for the Caulfield Cup. It was not intended that The Trump should start in the cup and owing to knee problems he had his knees pin-fired and was gelded before being spelled.

Returning as a four-year-old, he won the Derrimut Handicap over six furlongs at Moonee Valley. In early 1937, The Trump won the Malakoff Stakes over nine furlongs at Caulfield before having a brief letup. His next win was the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap on the first day of the Caulfield Cup meeting. After winning the Caulfield Cup and LKS Mackinnon Stakes he was aimed at the rare Melbourne Cup double. His win in the Melbourne Cup with Ashley Reed aboard was The Trump’s sixth successive win.

All manner of transport brought the crowd to Flemington, the official estimate of the numbers being 107,000. In the Cup, The Trump, with a paralysing burst of speed down the straight, snatched Victory from the New Zealand horse, Willie Win, equalling Poseidon's 1906 record of garnering both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in one year. Endeavours were made to hear a broadcast description of the race, but the storm broke in all its fury about the same time and shattered all hopes in that direction. The wireless represented more like a machine-gun barrage than anything else, and many waited in suspense until some other means of communication spread the news.

After The Trump was retired from racing, he was used to carry Eccles' nieces and nephews to school.

RACE RECORD - 48:10-3-7

Caulfield Cup (1937)

Toorak Handicap (1937)

LKS Mackinnon Stakes (1937)

Melbourne Cup (1937)