You be the judge – photo finish controversy
Controversy reigned at Friday’s Canberra Acton meeting when stewards overturned a judge’s decision after a protest from connections of a dead-heater.
The on-track judge declared Rules Point and Bel Edition had dead-heated for first in the Siren Bar Class 1 Handicap (1206m) but the connections of Rules Point wanted a closer look at the official photo finish after the picture beamed to the stewards’ room was inconclusive.
Rules Point’s connections had a look at the original photo finish in the judge’s tower before lodging a protest against the judge’s decision.
Rules Point was the $4.50 second favourite to win the $11,000 race while Bel Edition was an $8 chance.
Stewards took evidence from the judge at Canberra, Mr S Farrar, as well as connections of both dead-heaters before inspecting the judge’s image of the finish before ruling a margin existed between Rules Point and Bel Edition, awarding the race to Rules Point.
