Friday's Listed Scone Gold Cup over the mile will have exotic punters salivating in amongst a packed crowd that's been counting down the day for some time.

And on something of an historic switch with the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic alongside the Cup all on one late autumn card, the clouds are expected to disappear in time for the track to reach a Good 4 rating.

The firming surface is also timely for Laure Me In ($6.50 early) who carries 1.5kg less than a fast-finishing return effort at Randwick three weeks back, and all but one of his six career wins have come on a Good rating.

The US-bred six-year-old blew the cobwebs out ideally in that high-rating metropolitan BM 100, and given he's performed at Group and Listed level up to 2000m, the distance is ideal on a track he should relish.

Of course, there are any number of dangers.

Drawn much closer in, lightly-raced four-year-old Pandano ($8.50), is up a little in trip but significantly down 3.5kg weight after that fighting close second in the Provincial C'ship Final at Randwick. And he's been kept ticking over with a very quiet trial.

Punters can not afford to undersell five-year-old stallion Royal Celebration ($6.00) who comes into this fourth-up after going under narrowly in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup.

And speaking of value, talented five-year-old Phaistos ($10.50) second-up after hitting the line hard in that same race as Laure Me In; and tough five-year-old front-runner Mr Dependable ($13.00) shooting for three straight wins; both should command betting support.

Before the Cup, the Dark Jewel (1400m) is almost as open, although four-year-old mare More Prophets ($4.60) looms as the one to beat second-up.

Having made late ground resuming behind high class sprinter Lost And Running, More Prophets can settle back with more time to find her feet here over the longer trip.

Incredibly she's yet to miss a place in nine career runs, and few in the race are capable of reeling off such a powerful last 400m.