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Yet again, Dave Smith "calls" a desperately close finish at Newmarket immediately without even calling for a photo finish (in the 5.15 today).
The print was shown on RUK and many people were of the opinion that they simply couldn’t split the first two home ~ and even if Smith did actually get it right (and I’m still not 100% sure it wasnt a dead heat), to call it straight away was reckless to say the least.
It should be written into the rules that a judge has to call for a photo if there is less than a neck between he first two home imo.
Yes, a large percentage of photos would be formalities, but we will avoid situations like we had today, whereby some punters feel like they have been robbed by a judge who has put his ego ahead of punters and connections’ interests.
Totally agree. Dave Smith believes he is invincible, immune from errors and must get some kind of ego boost from calling results in a ridiculously short time
Surely it should be the stewards who call the final result and as such decide on the winner/throwings out (like they happen that often) rather than the racecourse commentator?
Agreed. Now is the time for authorities to act before something really controversial happens.
As is the way with everything in Britain it’ll be after the horse has bolted that the gate gets locked.
Dave Smith also works as a judge in addition to calling races. One job is not enough for him.
Dave Smith, aka ‘Smudger’ isn’t a commentator, Martin. He’s the judge.
I actually quite like the bloke but he does appear to have an obsession with calling a winner straight up without calling for a photo. It’s guaranteed to backfire on him at some stage.
Well said prufrock.
Can I also welcome TDK to the forum. I pride myself in assessing the compatibility of people on internet forums, therefore I would like to suggest you introduce yourself to a forumite called Glenn as soon as possible. I have no doubt whatsoever that you will become chums of the highest order.
Isn’t it about time racing dragged itself into the modern world and dispensed with judges; especially given some of their questionable judgements over the years ?
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
The fact that it can even happen says a lot for the rules of racing in general. That goes for the stewards too, going all the way back to the Tillerman incident at Goodwood. The whole book needs to be re-written.
I watched the replay of the race on UK in the early hours the fact that Smith called the result is a disgrace. I think it was just about right but you’re talking the width of a cigarette paper between the two horses no human being could’ve known the result without a photo finish, Smith got lucky, very lucky.
Racings authorities need to act.
The fact that it can even happen says a lot for the rules of racing in general. That goes for the stewards too, going all the way back to the Tillerman incident at Goodwood. The whole book needs to be re-written.
Are you Terry Mills in disguise?
I agree with most of the sentiments expressed here. I can’t believe that Dave Smith is regularly praised for his ability to call a tight finish when he gets it wrong on a fair number of occasions. He’s playing a form of Russian Roulette because he clearly finds calling a race properly too dull, and I can’t abide it.
I totally agree with the consensus of opinion regarding Dave Smith. E.g., at Ascot last Saturday he called River Tiber of Luca Cumani’s the winner over Gary Moore’s Waterside – because he didn’t call for a photograph, no prints were displayed around the place but there could only have been the width of a cigarette in it. Does this egomaniac not realise that punter’s confidence is paramount in horse racing? Regardless of whether he gets it right every time or not (and he is bound to make another mistake soon enough) those watching are entitled to view the still when the winning distance is a head or closer – the judge must be correct and BE SEEN to be correct. This man’s ego is putting my confidence in the correct result being called in doubt and that is enough to justify his immediate removal from all judging duties.
Hi Forumites, maybe I can help clarify this a bit.
These days, because of advanced technology, an image of the leaders crossing the line is available to the judge, on his or her computer screen, immediately the last horse completes the course.
Particularly in short Flat races with a small number of runners, that image may already have appeared by the time the commentator has finished calling the fourth horse (the official conversion is 1 second equals 5 lengths on the Flat, though in reality it’s not quite as simple as that).
So, while I can’t speak for individual judges, or the industry in general, if the judge appears to call a close finish very quickly, it may be that he or she is already looking at that image, and not simply judging it in real time with the naked eye, as appears to be the case.
It’s a bit like the freeze-frame that you often see on TV which makes the winner of the race much more obvious that it was a second or two earlier.
Of course, punters probably don’t know that the judge has this facility, and may think he or she is taking a bit of a risk. Understandable, but not quite the case – things happens so quickly these days.
Hope this helps
Lee McKenzie
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