Master Tommytucker and Al Dancer sidestep Peterborough for Caspian Caviar

Caspian Caviar Gold Cup market principals Master Tommytucker and Al Dancer do not feature in eight declarations for the rescheduled Fitzdares-sponsored Peterborough Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.

The lightly raced chasers were given the option of this Grade 2 contest, switched from Huntingdon after flooding forced the cancellation of its flagship meeting on Sunday, but instead appear set for the Grade 3 handicap chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

There is nevertheless a classy field for the Peterborough Chase, in which dual winner Top Notch returns and stablemate Mister Fisher also features.

Friday's Cheltenham card and betting

Top Notch landed this race for the first time when it was restaged at Taunton in 2017 and struck again last season. Daryl Jacob’s mount has his first start since wind surgery on his return from a 335-day break.

On official ratings, the Paul Nicholls-trained Dolos is the one to beat, while Kalashnikov should also take high order if benefiting for a recent return over hurdles at Haydock.

Venetia Williams runs the promising Fanion D’Estruval, Tom George is represented by Clondaw Castle and Bun Doran and the Mick Channon-trained Glen Forsa completes the field.

Black Corton and Bryony Frost bid to defy top weight in the seven-runner Grade 3 Unibet Handicap Chase on the card, while Kingswell Theatre, Neverushacon and Step Back are among 11 declarations for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.

ITV4 are televising five races from Cheltenham and one race from Bangor on Friday. All the action from Cheltenham, where the going is good to soft with rain forecast on Thursday evening and Friday, will be shown on Racing TV.

Old Roan Chase winner Nuts Well was declared for the Huntingdon feature last weekend but was not entered in the rescheduled race with owner Ian Hamilton considering options at Wetherby's Christmas meeting.

Nuts Well: career-best performance when winning the Old Roan Chase at AintreeCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Hamilton pointed to the lack of opportunities for the 159-rated chaser, one of just six horses trained by his wife Ann. The nine-year-old beat subsequent Ladbrokes Trophy runner-up Aye Right at Kelso prior to his 2m4f Aintree success.

He said: "Cheltenham wouldn't be his track and the ground is going to be terrible. The last time he ran on really heavy ground, at Doncaster last season, he couldn't get his feet out of it. We can't see any point in going 320 or 330 miles down there.

"There are plenty of races for 0-100 horses and not many for 0-160 ones. That's the trouble.

"There's the Rowland Meyrick over three miles at Wetherby on Boxing Day or a two-mile open handicap there the next day. If the ground was bad he'd probably go for the two-mile race but I think he'd get three. His half-brother Runswick Royal was by a miler and he stayed three and a half miles, this fellow is by an Arc winner, Dylan Thomas.

"But we've kept him up a long time for this race at Huntingdon and we'll have to let him down a bit now so we'll have to see."

Nuts Well is a best-priced 40-1 for the Ryanair Chase in March but Hamilton warned: "We'll probably be looking at Aintree. We seem to have more luck there and it's a faster track – Cheltenham is up hill and down dale.

"They all come together, Cheltenham, Aintree and Ayr, and you can only really go to one of them but I suppose we shouldn't complain, it's a nice predicament to be in."

Peterborough Chase runners and riders

1 Bun Doran James Bowen
2 Top Notch Daryl Jacob
3 Mister Fisher Nico de Boinville
4 Clondaw Castle Tom Scudamore
5 Dolos Harry Cobden
6 Fanion D'Estruval Charlie Deutsch
7 Glen Forsa David Bass
8 Kalashnikov Jack Quinlan

More to read:

Topweight Nuts Well delivers emotional Old Roan success for six-horse trainer

'Incredibly disappointing' - Peterborough Chase day cancelled after flooding

Peterborough Chase saved – but Henderson opts to wait until Christmas for Altior

Ultimate Daily - our daily newsletters from Racing Post's experts, exclusive to the inbox of Ultimate Members' Club subscribers. To receive the newsletter subscribe at racingpost.com/members-club