Former football manager and current horse owner, Harry Redknapp, finds himself at the center of a photo-finish row after the camera used to determine the winner mysteriously malfunctioned just as the horses crossed the line.
The Mystery Breakdown
In a tight finish at the 2m5f novices' hurdle race at Warwick on Monday, Redknapp's four-year-old gelding, Mikimoto, was judged to have come second. However, the controversy arose when the photo-finish camera, responsible for capturing the critical moment, broke down.
A Thrilling Finish
Mikimoto displayed a rapid finish and engaged in a thrilling head-bobbing battle with Track And Trace all the way to the line. The naked eye was unable to determine the winner, further complicated by the fact that the TV camera was not perfectly aligned with the finish line.
Camera Failure at 32mph
Although there is usually a dedicated photo-finish camera placed flush on the finish line to call the winner, on this occasion, it stopped working just as the two horses crossed the line at a speed of 32mph. The only available image to determine the winner was a grainy snap generated from the TV footage, which is of much lesser quality than the usual HD camera.
Raising Objections
Mikimoto's trainer, Martin Keighley, expressed doubt over the result and confirmed that jockey Sean Bowen, who rode the horse, believes they should appeal. Keighley intends to discuss the situation with Redknapp and co-owner Karen Salters, with the possibility of raising an objection.
Unsatisfactory Evidence
Keighley criticized the decision, stating that there is no clear evidence of the finish line. The trainer argued that the fair decision would have been a dead-heat and expressed his dissatisfaction with the freeze-frame from an inadequate camera presented to him. He believes that without a proper photo, the decision is unfair.
Stewards Investigate
Addressing the camera malfunction, the stewards conducted an inquiry and interviewed the judge and the photo-finish operator. The operator explained that the camera initially began recording but failed as the horses crossed the line. The stewards ordered a report to be forwarded to the British Horseracing Authority for further investigation.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/horse-racing/punters-left-speechless-as-mini-frankel-wins-500k-on-debut/
