• Corrections follow further analysis of photo-finish images after the Judge on the day, without the availability of a mirror image, chose to call results as dead-heats
• 1:15pm race: Finishing order amended with Oneida Tribe now judged to have crossed the line first ahead of Pinch Of Ginger, but race result unaffected owing to stewards enquiry which demoted Oneida Tribe to second and placed Pinch Of Ginger first as a result of interference. The Stewards reviewed their original enquiry decision in light of the revised photo finish information, and have confirmed that the revised finishing order does not affect the outcome of their enquiry, and the official result stands
• 1:45pm race: Placings for third place – which were initially called as a dead heat between Shanty Town and Catching On – revised with Shanty Town now placed third and Catching On placed fourth. Each-way betting unaffected as only seven runners in the race

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has today made corrections to the finishing order of two races from the meeting at Bangor-on-Dee on Thursday 4 January.

The corrections have been made following further assessment of photo-finish images. In both cases a dead heat was called on the day owing to the fact that the Judge felt he was unable to separate the horses involved as there was no mirror image available. However, following further analysis and consultation with the Judges Team Principal it was felt that it was possible to provide a definitive result in both races.

In both cases the official result has been unaffected by the amended finishing orders for betting purposes. This is due to the fact that, in the first race, a stewards enquiry resulted in the horse who crossed the line first being demoted to second place. In the other race the photo-finish decision was for third place, but there were only seven runners in the race and therefore each-way betting paid to only two places.

Details of the two cases are as follows:

Bangor-on-Dee Thursday 4 January 1:15pm – Stella Artois Novices’ Handicap Chase

Outcome: Finishing order amended with Oneida Tribe now judged to have crossed the line first ahead of Pinch Of Ginger. However, there is no change to the official race result owing to the Stewards enquiry which demoted Oneida Tribe to second place and promoted Pinch Of Ginger to first place as a result of interference.

Having spent more than seven minutes studying the image, the Judge was unable to satisfy himself that Oneida Tribe had crossed the line first, as the nose of Pinch Of Ginger was fully obscured by the head of Oneida Tribe and a reverse image was unavailable. As a result, the Judge felt the correct decision was to announce a dead heat for first place.

Following the race meeting, the Judge discussed the photo-finish with the Judges Team Principal and has subsequently asked to correct his decision under Rule (B)62.2 – “Correction by Judge of original decision as to placings”, stating that Oneida Tribe should be called as the horse who crossed the finishing line first, by a distance of a nose.

However, following the race on the day, the Stewards at Bangor-on-Dee held an enquiry into interference between Oneida Tribe and Pinch Of Ginger on the run to the line, following which they altered the placings, placing Pinch Of Ginger first and Oneida Tribe second. Following the application from the Judge to correct the finishing order, the BHA reconvened the Stewarding panel from Bangor-On-Dee and asked them to revisit their decision in light of the Judge’s revised finishing order. This process was undertaken at the Wolverhampton race meeting on the evening of 8 January. The Stewards have confirmed that the revised finishing order would not alter their decision, and as a result the placings remain as per the official race result:

1. Pinch Of Ginger
2. Oneida Tribe
3. Heavenly Promise

Connections of Oneida Tribe remain able to appeal the Stewards’ decision to amend the placings because of interference, and the seven-day window for appeal has been reset from today’s date.

Bangor-on-Dee Thursday 4 January 1:45pm – Derek Hatton Birthday Celebrations Handicap Chase

Outcome: Placings for third place – which were initially called as a dead heat between Shanty Town and Catching On – revised with Shanty Town now placed third and Catching On placed fourth

In this case, the head of horse 7 – Shanty Town obscured that of 1 – Catching On in the photo-finish for third place. Again, in the absence of sufficient evidence, the Judge felt that to award a dead heat would be the correct decision. Similar to the discussion that took place around Race 1, the Judge has made a further application under Rule (B)62.2 to confirm the following revised placings for this race:

1. Vice et Virtu
2. Thedrinkymeister
3. Shanty Town
4. Catching On
   Distances: 10l, 4 1/2l, nose.

Jamie Stier, Chief Regulatory Officer for the BHA, said:

“It is essential that the BHA carries out all of its raceday officiating duties with the utmost accuracy. In other circumstances it is quite feasible that both bookmakers and punters could have been significantly affected by an incorrect result being called.

“Incidents such as this illustrate why we have the ability to review decisions. The issue has been identified and rectified properly and fairly, in communication with connections of all horses. But that does not alter that our first priority is to get the decisions right on the day.

“As such we will, of course, be taking steps to ensure that such an incident does not occur again, and will consider the matter internally.

“The issue with mirrors is not confined to Bangor-On-Dee, which is one of a number of racecourses where the width of the finishing line, dependant on the rail position, is too great for the mirror system to cover the entirety of the finishing line. We intend to commence a piece of work with photo-finish suppliers to ascertain whether this issue can be addressed, though there are significant challenges involved when it comes to course layout.”

Notes to editors:

1. The photo finish images in question are as follows:

Bangor-on-Dee Thursday 4 January 1:15pm – Stella Artois Novices’ Handicap Chase

Photo finish for first place

A high-res version of the photo finish can be downloaded from the BHA website, here.

Bangor-on-Dee Thursday 4 January 1:45pm – Derek Hatton Birthday Celebrations Handicap Chase

Photo finish for third place

A high-res version of the photo finish can be downloaded from the BHA website, here.

The original Stewards enquiry notice regarding interference in the 1:15pm race which resulted in the demotion of Oneida Tribe to second place is as follows:

An enquiry was held to consider the placings in this race after interference on the run to the line where ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE), ridden by A. P. Heskin, had interfered with PINCH OF GINGER (IRE), ridden by Brian Hughes, who both dead-heated for first place. The Stewards considered that the interference had improved ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE)’s placing as after jumping the final fence, PINCH OF GINGER (IRE) was carried off its intended line, had to switch around ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE) and had rallied to dead-heat for first place. They revised the placings as follows: First, PINCH OF GINGER (IRE), Second, ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE). Heskin was cautioned for careless riding as he allowed his mount to drift-right handed when insufficiently clear, causing PINCH OF GINGER (IRE) to be carried off its intended line.

A notice regarding the further enquiry held by the Stewards following confirmation of the revised finishing position is as follows:

In light of an amended result from the Judge to change the original result from a dead heat, placing ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE) first and PINCH OF GINGER (IRE) second by a nose, the Stewards reconvened on 8 January 2018 to reconsider their original decision to amend the placings following interference after the last fence.  Having reconsidered their decision the Stewards were still satisfied that the interference had improved ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE)’s placing as, on the run to the line, PINCH OF GINGER (IRE) was carried off its intended line causing its rider, Brian Hughes, to switch around ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE) then rally and make up ground all the way to the line to be beaten only by a nose.  The Stewards confirmed the revised placings as follows: first PINCH OF GINGER (IRE) and second ONEIDA TRIBE (IRE).

3. The Rule under which the Judges are able to amend the result of a race, Rule (B)62.2, can be found here:

http://rules.britishhorseracing.com/Orders-and-rules&staticID=126363&depth=3

4. Mirror image availability depends on the width of the course and where horses finish in relation to the mirror. This applies to a number of courses, both Flat and Jumps. The only racecourse which doesn’t have any mirror on the finishing line is Haydock Park, which utilises an infield camera to give a reverse-angle view.