The four-year-old, who will be aiming to follow up his win in the Portland at Doncaster last week, has been cut from 10-1 into the 8-1 clear favourite with Ladbrokes after solid support.

Both Coral and William Hill make Out After Dark the co-favourite of three along with Ice Planet and Hughie Morrison’s Intrepid Jack.

Out After Dark will have to shoulder a 5lb penalty for his Doncaster win and Cox, like Nicholls, would like to see a shower or two before the six-furlong showpiece.

“I wouldn’t mind a drop either, to be honest,” he told At The Races. “It certainly doesn’t look like they are going to get much rain at all.

“He’s pretty versatile. He does seem to be effective on all kinds of ground.”

Apprentice rider Adam Kirby was aboard the gelding at Doncaster and he is set to maintain the partnership at Ayr – using his important 5lb claim.

“The handicapper has put him up 4lb, we are going to take a chance and run even though we have 5lb penalty,” added Cox. “Adam will take off a valuable 5lb once more.

“He’s come out of the race really well and he deserves to have a crack.”

Another trainer keeping a close eye on the ground situation is William Muir, who has the progressive Texas Gold entered in the cavalry charge.

The seven-year-old is also in the Group Three Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury, a race in which he finished fourth behind The Tatling last year.

Muir is leaning towards that contest at present but he has yet to take a look at the Ayr field and will consider the weather forecast at both tracks as he is seeking quick ground.

“I can’t make my mind up, but I would say at present it’s probably 60-40 Newbury,” Muir said.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball so I don’t really know what the weather is going to do.

“My feeling would be to go to Newbury, but I haven’t really looked at the form yet for Ayr and it will all depend on the weather.

“Obviously the Ayr Gold Cup is worth a lot of money but we need the ground to be right.”

Clerk of the course Anthea Morshead reports the going to be good to firm despite a couple of showers this morning.

She said: “We had a couple of millimetres early this morning and we have had a few showery bits since then but nothing very much.

“The forecast says we could get three or four millimetres tonight before a dry and breezy day tomorrow.

“It’s forecast to rain from midnight Wednesday into Thursday with some blustery, showery weather before brightening up at lunchtime.

“We are then due lovely bright days on Friday and Saturday so we will just have to monitor the weather. If we don’t get rain tonight, we could water the straight tomorrow.”

One runner who is on course for the race is the Roger Charlton-trained Pike Bishop, currently a 25-1 chance with William Hill.

He is one of the few three-year-olds entered in the sprint but after looking a useful contender last year, he has yet to show winning form and Charlton is hoping a first-time visor will work the oracle on Saturday.

“I think he should get into the race and at the moment my plan is to run him,” said Charlton.

“He’s a very good-looking horse and we try to not make too many excuses but I have to say he has disappointed me a little bit.

“I’m going to run him in a visor. He worked very well this morning with it on. He has just slipped down the weights a little bit and don’t forget he beat Beckermet very easily as a two-year-old.

“I think Beckermet at that stage was on the up and continued to go up. If Pike Bishop bounced back to his best form, he’s not without a chance.”

totesport Ayr Gold Cup betting:

Ladbrokes: 8-1 Out After Dark, 10-1 Continent, Fonthill Road, Ice Planet, 12-1 Fantasy Believer, Intrepid Jack, 14-1 Traytonic, 16-1 Mutamared, Partners In Jazz, Presto Shinko, Texas Gold, 20-1 Chookie Heiton, Fictional, Khabfair, Majestic Times, Orientor, Peace Offering, 25-1 bar.

Coral: 9-1 Intrepid Jack, Ice Planet, Out After Dark, 11-1 Traytonic, 12-1 Continent, 14-1 Fantasy Believer, Fonthill Road, 16-1 Partners In Jazz, Presto Shinko, 20-1 Chookie Heiton, Pieter Brueghel, Fictional, Funfair Wane, Khabfair, Majestic Times, Merlin’s Dancer, Peace Offering, Texas Gold, 25-1 bar.

William Hill: 9-1 Intrepid Jack, Ice Planet, Out After Dark, 11-1 Traytonic, 12-1 Continent, 14-1 Fantasy Believer, Fonthill Road, 16-1 Partners In Jazz, Presto Shinko, 20-1 Chookie Heiton, Pieter Brueghel, Fictional, Funfair Wane, Khabfair, Majestic Times, Merlin’s Dancer, Peace Offering, Texas Gold, 25-1 bar.