Leading trainer David Hayes has described the scratching of Changingoftheguard out of the Melbourne Cup early yesterday morning as the biggest disappointment he has suffered since taking out his trainer's licence in 1990.
''I am gutted,'' a furious Hayes said. ''I really can't believe it. I've never been more disappointed in my whole life.
''He's my horse. I went to England to buy him [for more than $1million] and I part-own him. Does anyone think that I would run the horse if I or any of my vets thought he was sore?
''I'm apparently good enough to make my own decisions about horses and their fitness for every other day of the year except this one when we take the advice of someone who doesn't know the horse.''
Two Racing Victoria veterinarians and an independent vet watched the former Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old trot up at Flemington yesterday before ruling that he was sore and could not take his place in yesterday's $5.65million race.
Hayes said he and other Flemington trainers stood in disbelief as the horse was taken out of the race.
The galloper only arrived in Melbourne on October10 and after a setback with a hoof abscess, had pleased Hayes in his work.
''I was upset and still am,'' the trainer said. ''It's the most puzzling decision I have ever seen. I didn't hide the horse. He's the most looked-at horse I've ever had but they just decided this morning that he was sore.
''They [vets] didn't tell me where he was sore. They just said he was sore and that's that. Terry [Bailey, chief steward] is obliged to take the advice of his vet whether he's right or wrong.''
Hayes said he had no avenue of appeal and so had to suck in the disappointment.
''It's the umpire's decision and you have to accept it. I think it's totally wrong but what can I do about it?
''We had no idea this was coming. We [owners] all backed the horse yesterday. I didn't even consider entering him for this Saturday [Queen Elizabeth Stakes] because I didn't even consider that he wouldn't be running today.''
The decision to scratch the galloper only hours before the race was extra controversial given that Vigor, a galloper part-owned by Canberra's Jason Mathie, was left out of the field.
The VRC opted against using its discretionary power to elevate Vigor into the field on Saturday night and does not have emergencies in the Cup. Vigor would have been first emergency and earned a start.
In other Cup news, Jockey Craig Williams is unable to ride again until November19 after he was suspended for causing interference in yesterday's Melbourne Cup while riding Leica Ding.
He was outed for causing interference to the luckless New Zealand mare Daffodil. His suspension begins after tomorrow's Oaks meeting.