Sandown to use colour-coded winning posts to avoid repeat of photo-finish fiasco

Different coloured winning posts will be used for the hurdle and chase courses at Sandown as part of measures introduced in a bid to prevent a repeat of the photo-finish fiasco which overshadowed Imperial Cup day last month.

The wrong winner was called for the £75,000 EBF Final after the BHA judge was served an image taken at the wrong winning post by the Racetech photo-finish operator.

The error was spotted before the weighed-in signal was announced, but some on-course bookmakers were still left out of pocket, as were many off-course firms after paying out on both results.

One For Rosie was called the winner but the image was taken at the wrong winning line

After an investigation the BHA on Thursday announced there would be changes to the design of the winning post. An identifying band of different coloured luminous paint will be added to distinguish between the chase and hurdles courses.

The 'lollipop' at the top of the post will continue to be moved between courses to denote the finish being used, but has been redesigned to make the correct finish line clearer.

A check will also take place between the judge and the Racetech official to confirm the cameras are aligned to the correct winning line.

These measures come at a time when added scrutiny has been put on photo-finishes after several high-profile incidents, including a judge losing his job after a wrong result was called at Sandown in July.

The BHA has since introduced new protocols involving a stipendiary steward verifying the finishing order before the weighed-in announcement is made and the result becomes official.

The correct photo-finish shows Third Wind had clearly prevailed

Part of the investigation into the Imperial Cup day incident at Sandown centred around whether it was appropriate to use two winning posts, which are in operation because of the contrasting layout of the chase and hurdle courses.

Five recent photo-finish controversies

Oneida Tribe/Pinch Of Ginger
January 4, 2018 Bangor
Race called a dead-heat with no reverse mirror to check image. Oneida Tribe subsequently demoted for interference

Catching On/Shanty Town
January 4, 2018 Bangor
Third place called as a dead-heat with no reverse mirror to check image. Shanty Town awarded third place at BHA inquiry

Bird For Life/Oregon Gift
March 23, 2018 Kempton
Bird For Life initially awarded race by a nose only for the judge to revise his decision

Rio Ronaldo/Vibrant Chords
July 6, 2018 Sandown
Rio Ronaldo initially awarded race by a nose only for the judge to revise his decision

Royal Village/Whoshotwho
July 21, 2018 Market Rasen
Race called a dead-heat with no reverse mirror to check image

Explaining the requirement for the two winning lines, and why they would continue to be used, head of racing and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "Having surveyed the relevant distances, it transpires that to utilise the hurdle finish line for all jumps races at Sandown would introduce a stand-side bias of 3.3 metres for the chase run-in – the equivalent of about one length.

"It was agreed by all parties involved in the discussion that this was too great a distance to countenance a change, as it compromised the overriding principle of providing fair racing."

Sandown stages its next jumps meeting on Saturday, April 27, the jumps season finale.

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