FANS of Farmer Jack (3.30) can look forward to a bumper harvest at Newbury provided the eight-year-old maintains his recent improvement, writes Colin Woods.

Farmer Jack rattled off a quick-fire hat-trick over fences at Taunton, Haydock, and Kempton last term, prior to finishing a more-than-creditable fourth to the all-conquering Azertyuiop in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

In view of such a pleasing and money-spinning campaign, it was something of a shock when the horse left the Wiltshire-based trainer, Seamus Mullins, to join Philip Hobbs at Minehead in neighbouring Somerset.

The switch initially looked as if it had gone totally pear-shaped when the eight-year-old was ignominiously pulled up on his first outing for Hobbs at Ascot last November. But in hindsight maybe the gelding didn't acclimatize as quickly as expected because given another couple of months to settle, Farmer Jack bounced back with a vengeance to snatch a valuable prize at Sandown 28 days ago.

The Esher contest was over two miles, whereas today's £100,000 Vodafone Gold Cup takes in extra four furlongs.

However, it's my firm belief that Farmer Jack is even better over the longer trip and therefore capable of producing an even more authoritative performance.

Added encouragement stems from the fact Farmer Jack is extremely well in at the weights with the likes of another leading hope, Hand Inn Hand, who finished behind the selection at the 2003 Festival, yet now suffers the double-whammy of having to meet his arch rival on 10lb worse terms.