Durston Melbourne Cup hopes over as he is scratched

Durston was a leading contender to win the Race The Stops A Nation at Flemington on Tuesday, November 1, but he will not be declared in the final field following a setback.

A required pre-race scan by Racing Victoria showed a "grey area" and a small lesion in his leg and that means Durston is unable to race under the current rules.

Trainer Chris Waller confirmed the news in a Twitter post, saying it was heartbreaking that this year's Caulfield Cup winner was ruled out.

Waller wrote: "Unfortunately, Durston is unable to take his place in the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

“It is extremely disappointing, however according to Racing Victoria Durston’s scans show what’s called a ‘grey area’ and there is a small lesion in his left hind leg. The specialists cannot determine whether it is old or new or whether it is even something to be concerned about, but we must respect this.

“It is all about safety, for the horse and the rider and the longevity of the horses. It is very disappointing for all connections of the horse as well as my stable because so much time and effort goes into these horses; it’s just heartbreaking."

Waller added that there were no problems in the build up to the race following his victory in the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago.

He added: "Durston is sound, he galloped well on Tuesday morning and my vet trotted him up following this, however we must respect modern science and learn from this. The horse will undergo an MRI scan to investigate further."

The six-year-old Durston moved to Waller's stable from Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who initially trained the galloper when he moved to Australia from David Simcock in England.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned runner was among the leading contenders with online bookmakers for the Melbourne Cup.