There is more than £660,000 in prize-money, three major sprint handicaps including the richest flat race in Scotland – the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup - a Group 3 contest and two Listed Races and many more valuable contests.

The Ayr executive have invested heavily in the fixture, which runs from September 17 – 19, and hope to be rewarded with many leading stables from the south of England and Ireland vying with the leading northern and Scottish yards for the top prizes.

The initial entries for the £180,000 William Hill Ayr Gold Cup will be published on Wednesday afternoon and are likely to include Jim Goldie’s Jack Dexter hoping to become the first Scottish trained winner of the race since Roman Warrior back in 1975.

Such is the standard of horse running in the race, most of the runners are rated around 100 or higher in the handicap and even the consolation races, the William Hill Silver and Bronze Cups, will boast some top sprinters.

The middle day of the Festival, William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Ladies Day, has attracted sponsorship from Shadwell Stud owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum who is sure to send several horses sporting his famous blue and white silks to plunder some of the spoils.

Friday’s feature is the Shadwell Stud EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes, a Listed Race, which has produced some notable winners in previous years including Garswood (2012) who went on to win the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last year The main supporting races on Saturday are the William Hill Firth Of Clyde Stakes – Scotland’s only Group race - the William Hill Doonside Cup, a Listed Race and the William Hill Ayr Silver Cup.

Crowds of more than 20,000 are expected over the three days while four of Saturday’s races will be screened live on TV.