Green Spirit and Narissa Set to Collide in the Prestigious Prix de la Grotte

The stage is set for an exciting day of racing at ParisLongchamp, accompanied by domestic action from Ffos Las. The highly anticipated Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp features a thrilling showdown between the talented duo Green Spirit and Narissa. Green Spirit, trained by Christopher Head, made significant strides last season with four consecutive wins, including victories at Group 3 and Group 2 levels. Although she was defeated by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, she is expected to set the standard on her return, ridden by Maxime Guyon. Narissa, who trailed Green Spirit on three occasions last year, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to have made progress over the winter to close the gap. Both horses are currently 8/1 favorites for the French 1000 Guineas. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who has won the last two renewals of this race, also fields Anashkaya, partnered with Christophe Soumillon. Evolutionist, trained by Karl Burke, cannot be discounted after a superb performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All attention will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. The Christopher Head-trained colt had an impressive campaign as a two-year-old, scoring three wins and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him a favorite to win, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat to Nighttime, having won two of his three starts, including a pair of lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, who claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, has a fitness edge over his rivals, while Campacite has top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. A competitive field is expected in the Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 contenders. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, has Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer for the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, boasts an impressive pedigree and should be monitored in the market. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, is top-rated on a mark of 122 and has solid claims if fit enough after an absence. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a history of stellar winners, including Calandagan in 2024. This year, Spece Waltz is well-fancied for Andre Fabre, while Joseph O'Brien's Hardy Warrior is of interest from a home nations perspective. Map Of Stars and Marquisat are likely to be popular among bettors for the Listed Prix Lord Seymour, with James Doyle riding the former for Wathnan Racing. On the domestic front, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.