The reality of heat and the new weights scale got the better of Sydney' leading jockey Brenton Avdulla as he had to relinquish a couple of rides at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Avdulla rode Birdsong into second behind Invincible Gem in the third race but pulled up distressed from his efforts to make 53.5 kilograms and had to miss his final two rides.

"I got it off [the weight] but didn't feel too good on the way here," Avdulla said. "The first one took it out of me and then I was no good after that one. These days make it tough with the heat."

Avdulla, who has ridden 44 winners for the season in Sydney, had to give up the rides on Pallino and Maven Wiz but believes he will ride the 53kg limit on the weekend as he gets back into a routine after riding the 54kg minimum weight at the Gold Coast last Saturday.

"It is one of those things. It just took it out of me with the heat but I will be right for the weekend. I have to ride 53.5 on Friday and 53 on Saturday," he said. "Just sometimes you have days like this one."

The adjustment period of 53kg limit is continuing and jockeys have put forward a plan to change the system to make it more workable, where original weights can drop up to four kilograms.

The hot afternoon at Warwick Farm was tempered by a southern breeze and punters might have seen a horse for the autumn in the opening winner Gauguin.

He sat outside the leader and did enough to score by three-quarters of a length. Trainer James Cummings has high hopes of heading him toward races like the Rosehill Guineas and The BMW.

"It's hard to be ultra-impressive at the finish when you're three-quarters of a length outside the leader and have to be rustled up early," Cummings said.

"Clearly the horse has got plenty to learn but he's promising and we think he will get over a trip. As we're getting closer to the autumn, these three-year-old races usually reveal some promising horses and there's a good plan in place for him so hopefully he can keep stepping up and delivering."

Glyn Schofield believes the potential is there for Gauguin to get better as he steps up in distance.

"He is still learning what it is all about and it will be good for him to next time get a softer run and show what turn of foot he has," Schofield said. "He feels as if he is going get better as he steps up in trip and there are better things in store for him."

Blake Shinn was suspended for five meetings for careless riding on Ignite The Light after a sometimes heated stewards inquiry. Shinn had forced a run and checked Krupskaya on straightening in the opening event.

He argued he had established a run but when pressed on the film – which showed him not clear of the horse in front of him – by acting chairman of stewards Philip Dingwall, Shinn refused to answer as the video appeared to show there was no run.

Shinn was riding on a stay of proceedings as he appeals a Kembla Grange suspension and indicated he would appeal Wednesday's ban as well.

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