'My heart is racing, my face is flushed and I'm suddenly filled with self-doubt'

This article, exclusive to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers, was originally written in August as part of our Secrets of Racing series, taking readers behind the scenes of the industry. In this article, Lee Mottershead samples life as a judge

The horses for the opening race are still to appear in Kempton's paddock but we're already on the verge of the first photo-finish.

A little ironically, it is the man with overall responsibility for the card's flash, bang, wallop moments who is threatening to cause a photo to be called. I'm here to spend the fixture with the judge but less than half an hour before the opener there is no judge to meet. As is so often the case around here, the M25 is to blame.