Robert Havlin Back Race Riding & Graham Gibbons Banned

A case of one in and one out in the weighing room today.

Robert Havlin was delighted as he made a triumphant return from suspension aboard the John Gosden trained Purser at Lingfield. The experienced jockey was banned for six months by France Galop after he tested positive for a prohibited substance at Saint-Cloud last October. “What happened has been well documented. It's been a long road, but we're back now," Havlin told At The Races. "Now I've got the first one out of the way, hopefully it's onwards and upwards. I'm staying here for the winter. I've got a lot of catching up to do, and I'm skint!"

Graham Gibbons has been banned for a combined period of two and a half years by the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine at a meeting at which he attempted to swap urine samples. Gibbons had voluntarily not ridden since December last year, when he was alleged to have swapped a urine sample with that of another rider, Callum Shepherd, who faced no charges, at a fixture at Kempton.

The BHA tweeted: "Graham Gibbons, found in breach of Rule (D)65, received 6 months suspension from 9 Dec 2016 to 8 June 2017 inclusive. Gibbons also found in breach of Rule (A)30 and receives a two year suspension from 9 June 2017 until 8 June 2019 inclusive. The Disciplinary Panel's reasons for their decision will follow in due course."