IT is a big day for Wanderers past and present when their horse European Dream contests the £150,000 handicap hurdle at Newbury.

The mount is owned by Sam Allardyce, Phil Brown, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Nolan and current captain Kevin Davies.

I’ve got European Dream as a 33/1 outsider but I wouldn’t put anyone off backing him each way.

Another thing in the seven-year-old’s favour is the weight he has to carry.

In recent years, horses near the bottom of the handicap have an excellent record in this race and five of the last seven winners have shouldered 10st 9lb or less. With 10st 6lb to carry, European Dream slots nicely into the right bracket.

This does not look the strongest renewal of a race that was inaugurated in 1963 and this year’s hero is unlikely to be remembered for as long as stars such as Persian War, Large Action and Make A Stand who already illuminate the roll of honour.

Therefore I can see one of the lighter weights doing the business again and it would not surprise me one bit if Oldrik, who has the minimum burden of 10st, gets into the frame despite his odds of around 33/1.

It’s unusual for top jockey Richard Johnson to sweat off the pounds to ride at 10st, but that is what he is doing for the mount on Oldrik and it looks significant for he could have partnered fellow Philip Hobbs-trained runner Ring The Boss at a much more comfortable 10st 11lb.

Oldrik reopposes Takeroc on the same terms and while that rival finished ahead of Oldrik, there was only just over three lengths between them yet the Paul Nicholls-trained runner is just 8/1. At the respective prices, Oldrik represents much better value and I can see him running a big race.

The main attraction at Newbury for the purists is the appearances of two Nicholls superstars who are having their Cheltenham Festival warm-up races, namely Denman and Master Minded.

Denman will be ridden by champion jockey A P McCoy for the first time in the Aon Chase and also at Cheltenham with Ruby Walsh having confirmed Kauto Star as his Gold Cup mount.

The 2008 Gold Cup winner strolled home by an eased-down 20 lengths in this trial two years ago and his connections will be looking for a similar display ahead of the big ‘decider’ on March 19.