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Trainers Jim Goldie and Keith Dalgleish lead the home challenge on Saturday in a bid to saddle the first Scottish-trained winner of the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup since Roman Warrior way back in 1975.

Goldie and Dalgleish try to put that right when they send out Jack Dexter and Sound Advice respectively.

Roman Warrior carried top weight of 10st to victory 40 years ago and Jack Dexter will have to give weight to all his rivals in his attempt to improve on his third place in 2013.

Goldie makes no bones of the task facing his smart six-year-old, but is hopeful of another good run.

"He has top weight in a very competitive handicap. It's tough ask, but we've trained him for the race. We could have done with a bit more rain," said the Glasgow handler.

"I'm not sure about his middle draw (13), but at least by the time the race is run we'll have a fair idea which is the best place to go. We can go either side.

"It's just whether we can give the weight to a lot of good horses.

"He's carried top weight before and finished third. He's maybe a bit stronger now.

"Most of them are exposed handicappers, but the one that obviously we are worried about would be the unbeaten Richard Fahey horse (Don't Touch). He's probably a Group horse and we have to give him weight."

Sound Advice has never run over a distance as short as six furlongs, but goes into the race on the back of two wins over Chester's seven and a half furlongs.

"He's in good form at home. I'm just hoping the trip won't be too sharp for him," said Dalgleish, who is based at Carluke in Lanarkshire.

"I think you need a horse that stays a bit further than six furlongs. He's done well this year and is going into the race in good form."

Richard Fahey admits Don't Touch has to come of age if he is to maintain his unbeaten record.

Don't Touch has won all his four races to date, but is only a three-year-old and did not make his racecourse debut until May.

The Dutch Art gelding has done everything asked of him and, after winning three average races, duly stepped up to the plate to land the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon last month.

Connections have had to be patient but are being rewarded now and Fahey believes he could have a potential Group performer on his hands, perhaps similar to Utmost Respect who won the Silver Cup in 2007 before going on to Pattern-race success.

"Don't Touch had a little issue with a knee last year and we didn't rush him," Fahey told Racing UK.

"Everything has gone to plan and this was always in my mind.

"He's got to be a man now, it's not straightforward.

"He could be another Utmost Respect, he might not just have as much natural speed and you'll know your fate in the first three furlongs with how he's travelling.

"I'd like to think Don't Touch is a Group horse in the making, but I'm slightly worried that might be over seven furlongs."

Fahey, who struck with Fonthill Road in 2006, is also represented by experienced campaigners Heaven's Guest and Rene Mathis.

"Heaven's Guest is in 15, the owner actually wanted that stall," said the Musley Bank handler.

"He's been a legend, has won nearly half a million in prize money and he generally picks up the pieces once or twice a year, he's been fourth in it twice.

"Rene Mathis might not be quick enough on this ground. He's won two big races already.

"I'd hate to draw a line through him, but he might not be quick enough on this ground."

The Ayr Gold Cup is a race Kevin Ryan targets every year and the North Yorkshire handler is three-handed as he goes for a fourth triumph after Advanced (2007), Our Jonathan (2011) and Captain Ramius (2012).

Blaine bids to go two better after finishing an unlucky third 12 months ago, Glory Awaits is a Group Two winner and was second in the 2000 Guineas in 2013 while Lexington Abbey was fifth in the Silver Cup last September.

"Glory Awaits is a Group horse running in a handicap, albeit he's coming back from seven furlongs to six," said Ryan.

"Blaine ran a great race last year. He got locked up on the rails and got out too late.

"Lexington Abbey is a horse we've aimed at the race since last year. Lucky enough he was the last one in, I'd have been gutted if he hadn't got in it."