How is victory determined when horses finish closely?

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Victory in horse racing is established by the head reaching the finish line, provided the necks are of equal length. If the neck lengths differ, victory is judged by the shoulder (katif). This is because judging by the head becomes unreliable if one horse has a longer neck; its head might cross first due to neck length rather than actual speed. Similarly, camels vary in neck posture (some raise it, others stretch it), making the head unreliable. Therefore, the shoulder is the criterion. If a short-necked horse wins by its head, it is clearly victorious. If a long-necked horse wins by a margin greater than the difference in their neck lengths, it has won. If the margin equals the neck difference, it is a tie; if less, the other horse is the victor. This standard aligns with the view of Shafi'i.