Enhanced verification process enforced by the BHA

Additional verification procedures for all races in Great Britain have been announced by the British Horseracing Association (BHA), aimed at bringing greater accuracy for punters and bookmakers by minimising the risk of human error in the results process.

Trailed extensively since March of this year, the process involves an additional line of verification is in place before the ‘weighed in’ signal is given, “whereby the Stipendiary Stewards on duty are required to verify the finishing order of the winning and placed horses”.

The judging team of the BHA is to continue to retain full responsibility for all race results, and will still announce initial placing distances and times where required on course, and release this information to bookmakers and the Press Association on a provisional basis.

Should a query be raised, the judge on duty will be given a signal to revisit the result until an agreement is reached, possibly resulting in the amendment of provisional results.

The development of a new process has also been detailed by the BHA, giving stewards oversight of race finishes, which “aims to minimise any delays which may occur from additional verification which could impact on racing’s customers.”

Brant Dunshea, Chief Regulatory Officer of the BHA, stated: “Although the initial situation which caused us to look into results verification was disappointing, the outcome whereby all those affected by the result of a race can have increased confidence in its accuracy is a positive one.

“I’d like to thank all those who have been involved in the process both within the BHA and externally for their assistance in completing this project, which is now in place for all races run in Great Britain.”

Furthermore, a Fast Results App “now also has a mandatory double-checking feature as each result is keyed in prior to wider distribution,” after being used by the BHA judging team since 2015.