Doncaster Photo

Quite a difference in the mirror. Mirror not calibrated correctly?

https://media.britishhorseracing.com/images/photofinish/hireswatermark/2026_2206_0_36129.jpg

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I think the photo finish system should be scrapped. If the second had collapsed a quarter of an inch before the line, it wouldn't even appear in the photo. If a finisher going 35 mph passes a broken down horse walking over the line, it would appear half the length of the loser on the photo, with its legs 2 ft wide.

Why does the mirror need to be 6-8 inches wide, I don't quite understand how many pixels are taken, but I think a mirror half an inch wide would do the job. The whole system should be changed to something taken from above, Rico could draw the lines, he would do all the British and Irish courses before breakfast.

I know some stuff about about photo finishes, but I do not know why Jumeira won by less in the foreground than it did on reflection... haha
Maybe that's why it took them a while to announce the result. Judge looking at it thinking there's something not quite right here. The foreground angle is more vertically oblique than the reflected angle because the photo camera is not at ground level

Big Cat • July 3, 2026 4:30 PM BST
I know some stuff about about photo finishes, but I do not know why Jumeira won by less in the foreground than it did on reflection...

It means the mirror is slightly out of alignment.

Yes, obviously. I was being ironic. Even if frequently recalibrated, the slightest movement of the camera or mirror would be very noticeable. Some tracks just have portable mirrors on a stand!

photo newmarket last thurs..clear winner in mirror,,dh on the track view.

Jul 3, 2026 -- 8:09PM, Rico-Dangleflaps wrote:

photo newmarket last thurs..clear winner in mirror,,dh on the track view.

correct