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

Racing enthusiasts are in for a treat with a packed day of action at ParisLongchamp, complemented by domestic racing at Ffos Las. The highly anticipated Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp is set to feature a thrilling showdown between the exciting 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 beaten 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 significant progress over the winter to bridge the gap. Both horses are currently priced at 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 ruled out after a superb performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All attention will be focused on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at 2:50 pm. The Christopher Head-trained colt had a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring in three of his five starts and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him the favorite, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit. Regal Resolve poses the main threat for the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having been supplemented for this race after winning two 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 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 a field of 11. 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, a newcomer from the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, has an attractive 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 a break. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a rich 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 with bettors in 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 an open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at 3:50 pm at Ffos Las.