Comeback kids on collision course in Desert Orchid Chase

Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre look set to go head-to-head in the williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton on Sunday.

The former two-mile champions were among just five entries revealed for the Grade Two event after it was reopened at the initial stage.

Both horses have gone some way to recapturing past glories, with the Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy winning the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown and Nicky Henderson’s Sprinter Sacre demolishing his rivals in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.

Tingle Creek third Vibrato Valtat is in line to reoppose for Paul Nicholls, as is the fourth home, Somersby (Mick Channon).

Tom George’s Sir Valentino recently completed a hat-trick of handicaps wins over hurdles and fences and is poised to take a significant jump in class.

Meanwhile Faugheen spearheads nine possible runners in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday.

The reigning champion hurdler, trained by Willie Mullins, lost his unbeaten record in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November but is likely to be a short price to gain redemption.

Faugheen could be joined in the line-up by stablemates Arctic Fire andNichols Canyon, the surprise winner of the Morgiana.

Sam Twiston-Davies would have a big decision to make if Old Guard (Paul Nicholls) and The New One (Nigel Twiston-Davies) are both declared for the race.

Nicholls said the former’s participation is subject to a “strong piece of work” in the build-up to the race, but would not stop in the jockey’s way if he chooses to ride The New One, who is trained by his father.

He told Racing UK: “It’s a decision Sam has to make.

“We’ll weigh up everything, he’ll have a chat with his dad and see what he (Sam Twiston-Davies) wants to do.

Dell’ Arca, Melodic Rendezvous and the Nicky Henderson-trained duo of Hargam and Sign Of A Victory finish off the list of possible runners.

• John Ferguson, currently sitting in fifth place in the National Hunt trainers’ championship, is to relinquish his licence in April to take up a new role with Godolphin.

Ferguson has made a real success of taking Godolphin horses from the Flatand turning them into jumpers, but due to Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to amalgamate the Darley breeding operation and Godolphin’s racing arm as part of a “streamlined” business, that will now come to an end.

Long-standing bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Mohammed, Ferguson is to become chief executive and racing manager.

The best of Ferguson’s horses will join Charlie Appleby, with Ferguson’s staff at Bloomfields in Newmarket also offered the chance to join Godolphin.

Ferguson began training in 2011-12 and nearly struck at the Cheltenham Festival in his first season when New Year’s Eve finished second in the Champion Bumper.

He has two Grade One wins to his name, those of Ruacana in the Finale Hurdle at Chepstow in 2013 and Parlour Games in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last year.

The news can be viewed as blow to Aidan Coleman, who was appointed Ferguson’s retained jockey in July.