US President Donald Trump has revealed the 2005 Cox Plate as the inspiration behind the US-Mexico border wall, telling a press conference he briefed the wall’s architects by screening them a replay of the iconic race.

“It was a big, beautiful wall,” Trump said as he walked the assembled journalists through footage of the Moonee Valley classic, famously won by Makybe Diva after an eight-deep wall of horses formed approaching the home turn.

“A great mare. She won many Melbourne Cups. Many, many Melbourne Cups. Nobody has won more. I know her well. Very well,” Trump said.

The Pakistan Star can also reveal that throughout the press conference, Trump demonstrated an apparent preoccupation with the Gai Waterhouse-trained front-runner Desert War, repeatedly pointing to the horse in the replay as he brushed off questions about the wall’s ballooning budget and engineering problems.

“Desert War. Very low energy horse. A lot of people are saying it. He’s called Desert War and he’s tired. Don’t name a horse Desert War if you can’t finish it. I would have finished it.”

When asked by this masthead if jockey Brian Johns may have “missed the boat” on Lad Of The Manor, after the pair were shuffled back behind the wall of horses at a crucial stage, Trump declined to criticise the rider.

“Brian is a tremendous guy… I know him well. Very well. He’s a winner. But here, he’s stuck behind a great wall. A really tremendous wall. Nobody gets through it.”

Trump took a different tone with his appraisal of the Wangaratta-trained Lad of the Manor, however.

“Lad Of The Manor is Mexico. He’ll be paying for the wall. Great horse, very strong, but he’s Mexico.”

More to follow.

Preview the 2026 Cox Plate through a different lens. With thanks to the 2 Units Podcast.