Durcan aims to end Scotland's 35-year wait

Durcan, who has ridden the four-year-old once before when second over five furlongs at Epsom in June, comes in for the mount as Kieren Fallon is being claimed by Luca Cumani at Newbury.

"This horse has been in excellent form,'' said Durcan. ''He won his last race well up in York and I know Mr Goldie has been really happy with the horse.

"In a race like this you need luck in running, but he's a lovely ride to have and I was delighted to ride him at Epsom where he was second. That was over five and it all happened in a bit of a hurry. I think the six furlongs up at Ayr should suit him and I'm looking forward to riding him.

"Mr Goldie is a dab-hand at having his horses ready so he'll have his horse spot on. Let's hope we can have some luck in running, you need some in a race like that. It's been a long time since a Scottish horse won it so let's hope we can rectify that on Saturday."

Tom Dascombe is praying conditions do not become too testing for his main hope Jonny Mudball. The four-year-old was a narrow second in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood on his latest start, before which he had eased to victory over Saturday's favourite Poet's Place.

"It depends on the ground with him as he's only run two moderate races and they were both on good to soft," said Dascombe. "I'm hearing varying reports about the ground but he'll be running and we'll just have to see what it's like on the day.

"He's in very good form and he's got the form in the book to beat the favourite, so if the ground is in his favour he must have an outstanding chance.

"We've gone up in the weights since we beat Poet's Place but obviously he has too and they actually meet each other on exactly the same terms.

"If we're first out of the hat to pick the draw, I would say we'll go high and if we're tenth out we'll try to place ourselves next to where the pace is. The horse is absolutely fine and this has been the plan since Goodwood and even before. The plan is for Seb Sanders to ride him again."

Dascombe's other entry is Stewards' Cup fifth Noverre To Go, but there is major doubt about his participation.

"The ground went a bit against him at Goodwood and the problem is he really needs firm ground," the trainer added.

"I would say he's an unlikely participant at the moment, but we'll see. What I can say is that we've never had him better and he's absolutely buzzing. This rain is just so annoying!"

Roger Charlton hopes Genki can repeat his last performance which saw him finish third in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock."Genki's last race at Haydock was undoubtedly his best race," the Beckhampton trainer said.

"Last year he was running in the mid 90s, this year he ran in the Stewards' Cup off 106. He now drops back to 103 and in future he'll be running off 111. If the official handicapper is correct then we have 8lb in hand of some of the other horses.

"He came home very sore after the Stewards' Cup this year. We consistently have to look after his back. After Haydock he was sore again. He seems to be back in good shape again."

Charlton's other entry Definightly needs nine horses to come out above him in the handicap. The trainer does not expect him to make the cut and if that is the case, he will run the in-form four-year-old in the Silver Cup on the same card instead. "It looks to me as if he won't get in. Maybe two or three won't run, but I don't think it will be nine coming out in which case we will head for the Silver Cup," Charlton added.

"He has been a revelation and I'm not sure why. His Timeform rating is now 1lb above Genki.

"We never thought we'd make the Ayr Gold Cup, but hoped for the Silver Cup. His last run was a pretty amazing trial for a handicap. His days in handicaps will be over so this is our last chance. The Silver Cup is worth twice as much as the Listed race he won last weekend."

The meeting gets under way at Ayr today, with an eight-race card at the Craigie course. Arabian Spirit, ridden by champion jockey candidate Paul Hanagan, is napped to land the 8,000 Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky Handicap.