" They see lameness that is not there," Hayes said at Flemington.

"The horse is not lame."

Changingoftheguard's Cup lead-up was interrupted by a foot abscess two weeks ago, but he recovered and worked well on Sunday.

His withdrawal leaves triple Melbourne Cup winning jockey Glen Boss without a ride.

The scratching of Changingoftheguard is doubly controversial, as the Danny O'Brien-trained Vigor - a one-time favourite for the race - was balloted out of the field on Saturday.

O'Brien had elected to miss a run in Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes in the hope natural attrition would elevate the horse into the field.

However, the shock decision of the connections of the hopelessly out of form New Zealand gallopers Gallions Reach and Spin Around scuppered that plan.

If emergencies were named in the Melbourne Cup, Vigor would have gotten a run today, as he would have been first emergency.

The Bart Cummings-trained Viewed, winner of the race last year, remains favourite ahead of Alcopop.