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

The stage is set for an exciting day of racing at ParisLongchamp, complemented 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 defeated by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, Green Spirit 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 significant progress over the winter to close the gap. Both fillies are currently 8/1 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 overlooked 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. Trained by Christopher Head, Nighttime scored three wins from five starts as a two-year-old and finished his campaign with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, earning him favoritism here. The step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat for Francis-Henri Graffard's yard, having won two of his three starts on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, holds a fitness advantage over his rivals, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. A competitive Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle features Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 contenders. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, a newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson, has an intriguing pedigree and should be monitored in the market. The Sam Thomas-trained Knead A Win is top-rated but needs to prove fitness after a layoff. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a history of stellar winners, including Calandagan in 2024, and this year, Spece Waltz is well-fancied for Andre Fabre, while Joseph O'Brien's Hardy Warrior is of interest. Map Of Stars and Marquisat are likely to be popular choices for the Listed Prix Lord Seymour. On the domestic front, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.