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Photo Finish Images Shows Two Different Results, Sparking Controversy At Sandown

Before the advent of the photo finish camera, close finishes like the one in the ironically-named 'Beaten By a Length' Handicap at Sandown Saturday would have been called by three judges standing by the finish line, a practice understandably fraught with opportunities for the human eye to get it wrong. In the late 1930s, reliable photos finish technology became part of a racetrack's set-up, the solution to the proverbial question of just who got a bare whisker or flared nostril in front. Nevertheless, however, the human element of the photo finish still remains a potential point of controversy, according to The Racing Post.

At Sandown Park in Surrey, U.K., Hurricane Ivor and Phoenix Star dueled through the final yards of the five-furlong handicap, flashing by that photo finish camera at the wire in what appears to be perfect synchronicity. The replay shows the two horses so close that a winner is difficult to discern. From the resulting photo, Sandown judge Jane Green declared Phoenix Star, the horse on the outside, the winner over Hurricane Ivor on the rail. The mirror image of the same photo showed a different result. Upon examination of both photos, the Sandown stewards nullified Green's ruling and declared the race a dead heat.

How is it possible that the photo finish camera could have captured what appears to be two different images in literally the same instant? The answer lies in the mirror.

“The issue is the mirror image, which is out of alignment. That's something that happens very rarely. You can see from the picture that the third and fourth don't line up on the line on the mirror image, either” Shawn Parker, head of the British Horseracing Authority's stewards, told the Racing Post. “We had to discard the mirror image and we couldn't separate the two horses on the normal image, the actual photo, so it's a dead-heat. We now need to hold an inquiry to determine why it happened.”

While RaceTech, the company responsible for photo finishes, attests to the proper alignment of the mirror and camera after an earlier inspection, it is possible that the mirror may have been knocked out of alignment afterwards. Bookmakers and bettors were frustrated with the miscalled photo finish, citing other issues with photo finishes at Sandown and other courses.

Select Eclipse the Focus on Saturday

Tactical nuance will be the order of the day in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, with Sandown's prestige affair hosting a trio of male thoroughbreds who have been tested and proven internationally and just one other very much on the fringe. With the big three of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) responsible for nine top-level victories between them in this country, France, Dubai and Australia, this renewal really does offer something different. All of them have a largely consistent profile with valid excuses for any rare dips in form and so the two imponderables that will dictate the outcome could be the way the race will be run on the day and whether the ever-contentious 10-pound weight-for-age differential in favour of Ballydoyle's 3-year-old is simply too much.

There is a sense that for all that St Mark's Basilica has now won three group 1 races in succession in the Dewhurst, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club, he is still a work in progress whose ceiling has not been approached. The manner of his last two performances suggest he was going through the motions at ParisLongchamp May 16 and at Chantilly June 6, but he will be seriously tested here against two campaigners hardened by significant overseas challenges. In recent times, 3-year-olds with the equivalent level of form entering this “clash of the generations” have fared well, with the Kitten's Joy pair of Roaring Lion and Hawkbill and Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) bettering their elders. “We've been delighted with him this season, both his runs,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Everything went well before them and everything has gone well since. The ground is drying up and I'd imagine that the more it dries up the more it will suit him.”

Officially top-rated and three pounds clear of Mishriff, Addeybb has been places his opponents can only dream of at present with his increasing age apparently bringing increased potency. Having beaten Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the last two renewals of Randwick's G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and in Rosehill's G1 Ranvet S. last March, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 7-year-old also took care of France's star Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) on the extremely testing ground that suits him so well in the G1 Champion S. in October. He showed in the latest renewal of the Ranvet that he is not so ground-dependant as many believe and his presence here evokes memories of the owner's dual winner Mtoto (GB) in the 80's.

Like Addeybb, Mishriff is another who was not an obvious leading light at the outset but who continues to confound with his performances. Well-beaten when eighth in the Champion, the record of Prince Faisal's homebred is otherwise flawless of late and his 2021 successes on Riyadh's dirt in the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup and from a wide draw in the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic mark him out as a rarity. The latter display confirmed his stamina for 12 furlongs, while he has an admirable attitude which is all there in the visuals of his running style so it will be a surprise if David Egan does not opt to attempt to dictate here. With his characteristic low head carriage, it is a case of how much he can draw the sting from his rivals who possess a greater turn of acceleration up Sandown's remorseless climb to the line.

This is a major moment in Egan's career and he is geared up for it. “I'm very excited to have a ride in a race like this and am looking forward to it,” he said on Friday. “To have the pace to follow two American horses over nine furlongs on the dirt and then be able to relax as well as he did over a mile and a half in Dubai a few weeks later is quite sensational and I can't think of another horse who could do that. He is very mature–he travelled to Riyadh for the Derby as a 3-year-old and then went to France twice, he was back out to Riyadh this year and back to England before Meydan so he enjoys the travelling. Looking at his coat and his physicality, he doesn't lose any condition and is always very fresh and well in himself. The team at home have done a very good job with him.”

At Haydock, the feature is the G2 Lancashire Oaks where Nick Bradley Racing's June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) faces Kirsten Rausing's 2020 G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and five other older fillies and mares. Trainer George Boughey said of the hard-grafting 3-year-old, “She's done very well since the Oaks and I don't think she's ever trained better. She's in super shape and her work has been good, so she's showing all the right signs. She gets a lot of weight and it's one of those things where it's quite hard to place against her own age, so you've got to take the older rivals on. There doesn't look to be a huge amount of pace in the race and it might just suit her–she's a big galloping filly who clearly stayed the mile and a half well in the Oaks in tricky ground and I think it looks the right spot for her.”

Back at Sandown, the G3 Coral Charge over five furlongs sees the June 15 G1 King's Stand S. runner-up Arecibo (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) attempt to build on that career-best performance against a clutch of tough sprinters and the fast-emerging 3-year-old Atalis Bay (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). Successful in the course-and-distance Listed Scurry S. June 12, Scuderia Blueberry's bargain 800gns Tattersalls February purchase needs to improve to feature but trainer Marco Botti is hopeful he can. “It's a very good race and he needs to raise his game taking on the older horses. The ground I hope will dry out a little bit and he would not want it any softer than good,” he explained. “We are happy with him, but these are proper older horses he is taking on. It is a good draw he has in four and he has done nothing wrong this year and he has definitely improved. He has got 10 pounds to find with Arecibo, but he is relatively fresh and others have been to Royal Ascot so, hopefully, that can play into his hands.”

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Coral-Eclipse: Globetrotting Star Mishriff ‘Needs To Do It In The UK’

John Gosden believes Mishriff can claim a first British Group One success in what promises to be a fascinating clash of the generations in the 125th running of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on Saturday (July 3rd).

Last year's Prix du Jockey Club winner will attempt to land a first domestic top level success at the weekend on his first start in Britain this year in the prestigious Group One prize.

It has been a campaign to savor so far for the son of Make Believe who made a winning return in the Saudi Cup at Riyadh on his dirt debut in February before following it up with Group One victory on his first start over a mile and a half in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan the following month.

Although Mishriff has demonstrated his talents on an international stage Gosden, who is seeking a fifth Coral-Eclipse success, feels he must now translate that form back on home soil.

He said: “I think that it is absolutely right (that he needs to win a British Group One to be one of the best mile and a quarter horses around). He has done it in France and done it in the Middle East but he needs to do it in the UK.

“We've been happy with him. He trained nicely into the Saudi Cup and then flew home then had to train again for Sheema Classic. He showed his versatility having to do a mile and an eighth on the dirt and a mile and a half on the turf.

“The idea was to freshen him up and give him every possible chance to come back in for our summer program. We are starting him off here in the Coral-Eclipse which had been our plan for a long time. I've been very happy with his preparation. He is not a horse I've taken away for a racecourse gallop as he has had enough travelling this year already.”

Despite this year's Coral-Eclipse attracting only four runners, Gosden insists it is very much a field of quality over quantity.

He said: “I know it is a small elite purist field but what people have to realize is that it is a lot of money to enter these races, it is a lot of money at the first forfeit stage and it is a lot of money to confirm.

“When you have the likes of the front three here they are not easy to take on so I think people slightly take that view point.

“When people criticize the size of the field remember the Prince Of Wales's was only run 16 days ago and from my experience it is very tough to come from the Prince Of Wales's and roll straight into a Coral-Eclipse – they come awfully tight.”

Assessing the opposition Gosden has respect for both this year's French 2000 Guineas and French Derby winner St Mark's Basilica from the yard of Aidan O'Brien and his old adversary the William Haggas-trained Addeybb, who he finished behind in last year's Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Gosden continued: “I've got tons of respect for Addeyyb. I think he is a wonderful horse. He has won a Champion Stakes and he has won in Sydney.

“I don't want to be critical but the ground was diabolical (at Ascot) and full marks to the winner as he handles it but our fellow couldn't go in at all. I had a lot that day that went wrong and Aidan (O'Brien) had a lot that day that went wrong. It was bottomless ground.

“There is talk about some rain on Saturday afternoon and if the rain came that is something Addeyyb would enjoy immensely. We are probably happier on anything from good to firm to good soft. I've lots of respect for him then comes the big question and it is great that you have the best mile and a quarter three year old colt in Europe (St Mark's Basilica) running. He has won a Dewhurst, a French Guineas and he has gone and won the Prix du Jockey Club, the same as Mishriff did, so that really is the ultimate test of the three year olds against the old ones.

“Interestingly enough I remember Lester (Piggott) saying to me that the 3-year-old has the advantage in his opinion in the Coral-Eclipse with the weights.

“I know it has changed one pound since those days and it is a 10lb difference now but he always felt 3-year-olds had the edge and I've never been frightened to run 3-year-olds in this race and nor for that matter in the King George.”

Helping Mishriff reach the heights he has enjoyed this year has been his growing bond with jockey David Egan, whom Gosden offered plenty of praise for.

He said: “He (David) has ridden him very well and he knows the horse well. He pops up on him not long before races.

“We have Ben (De Pavia) here who rides him all the time in his work and every day in his exercise. David is a classy guy, a good rider a good horseman and he is bright and very intelligent with it.”

Since claiming the Coral-Eclipse for the first time with Nathaniel in 2012 the Newmarket handler has won the race on three further occasions with Golden Horn, who followed up his Derby success at Epsom Downs in the 2015 renewal, Roaring Lion (2018) and Enable (2019).

Although Mishriff has yet to prove himself domestically at the highest level, Gosden feels he is the right type of horse to join his previous winners on the race's outstanding roll of honor.

He added: “Roaring Lion was a 3-year-old when he won it and so was Golden Horn so they took advantage of the weights. Enable was coming back off after a long layoff and she had her old friend Magical with her, then last year she ran against Ghaiyyath (finishing second).

“To that extent it is always demanding but he is a lovely horse and he fits in with that type we have been fortunate to have. We are happy with him going in but I'm perfectly aware of the task in hand. He is a very game honest horse that wears his heart on his sleeve.

“We are hoping for a good race and for the purists it is the sort of thing they enjoy but you will probably find the outsider El Drama will come and do the lot of them.”

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Eclipse Whittled Down To Four

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown has been cut to four after Thursday's confirmation stage, with Aidan O'Brien declaring just St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from his three initial entries left in earlier this week. With David Menuisier also opting to wait with Christopher Wright's Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), that means that Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero faces two main rivals in the multiple Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) plus the Jockey Club also-ran El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). John Gosden said he thinks that the small field stands up in terms of quality as he prepares Prince Faisal's homebred for a potential third top-level success having garnered last year's Prix du Jockey Club and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on his last start Mar. 27, as well as the Saudi Cup.

“I know it is a small, elite, purist field but what people have to realise is that it is a lot of money to enter these races, it is a lot of money at the first forfeit stage and it is a lot of money to confirm,” he said. “When you have the likes of the front three here, they are not easy to take on so I think people slightly take that view point.”

“I've got tonnes of respect for Addeyyb,” Gosden added. “I think he is a wonderful horse. He has won a Champion S. and he has won in Sydney. There is talk about some rain on Saturday afternoon and if the rain came, that is something Addeyyb would enjoy immensely.”

Tom Marquand is keeping an eye on the weather ahead of Addeybb's European return and said, “As we know, Addeybb is entirely ground-dependent and any more rain will help, but provided it's suitable for him to run then he ought to have every chance. It's a small field, but it's good horses against good horses and that's just what you want in a race like the Eclipse.”

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