Racing: Gibbs wears two hats in inquiry room

Jim Gibbs didn't know which hat to wear at Avondale yesterday.

The Matamata trainer was in a flap after the $30,000 Gosling Chapman Juvenile won by the hot favourite Jokers Wild.

Runner-up Habana was ridden by Gibbs' apprentice Buddy Lammas, the pair badly inconveniencing the Gibbs'-trained Imananabaa, who finished fourth under the stable's No 1 rider Cameron Lammas.

Stipendiary steward Noel McCutcheon lodged a protest against Habana, trained by Wayne and Vanessa Hillis.

In the inquiry room, Gibbs gave evidence against Lammas on Habana then, 20 minutes after the placings had changed as a result, he was back in the same room defending Lammas on a careless riding charge resulting from the incident.

Lammas was suspended for three riding days. He will come back riding after the Waikato Cup raceday on Saturday week.

As the field straightened, Habana eased out from behind the heels of Jokers Wild, coming in contact with Imananabaa.

On at least four occasions in the home straight Habana came into further contact with Imananabaa, being somewhat dictated to by an outward movement from the winner.

Habana was relegated to fourth and Imananabaa promoted to third.