Dead-heat drama at Kempton as stewards revise result in eventful finale

Kempton was once again the venue for a photo-finish blunder on Tuesday when the result of the final race was amended to a dead-heat after a clear winner had originally been called.

Proclaimer, the 2-1 favourite, was initially called the winner of the second division of the mile handicap at the all-weather venue, having finished fast to force a photo with Coverham.

However, before the placings were confirmed it was announced on course that the result had been revised and that it was instead a dead-heat between Proclaimer and Coverham, with the official photo-finish print showing no gap between the horses as they crossed the line.

Kempton's photo-finish history

A report on the BHA stewarding website read: "An inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the correction of the provisional placings in race eight, from Proclaimer, as the winner, and Coverham, placed second, to be confirmed as a dead-heat.

"The judge and the BHA steward were interviewed. Having heard their evidence, a report was forwarded to the head office of the British Horseracing Authority for further consideration."

Wrong calls in photo-finishes at Kempton have happened before with the result of a mile novice overturned in 2019 after the judge had been confused by an optical illusion on the print, and in 2018 when the placings were overturned five days after a race following additional scrutiny of the photo image by the judge.

8.30 Kempton Tuesday: full result and race replay

A new system was brought in following the Kempton blunders, with the photo now reviewed by stewards before the official weighed-in notice is given, allowing for amendments to be made.

The system had to be used as Sandown in the summer when the result of a 5f handicap was revised after the reverse mirror was found not to be straight when examined, meaning the provisional result given by the judge was incorrect.

The BHA said the amended result showed the systems put in place to prevent incorrect provisional results becoming official was working.

A spokesman said: "An incorrect provisional result was announced following last night's final race at Kempton.

"Routine verification procedures are in place to cross-check all results prior to the announcement of the official result, which meant that the error was corrected prior to the official weighed-in announcement."

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