Green Spirit and Narissa Set to Collide in 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 outperformed by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, she is expected to set the standard upon 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 demonstrate improvement over the winter to bridge the gap. Currently, both horses are 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 overlooked after a superb performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All eyes will be 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 an impressive season as a two-year-old, scoring three wins out of five starts and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him a likely favorite, and the step up to a mile is expected to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat to Nighttime from the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard. Having won two out of three starts, including a pair of lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly, he deserves a chance at this higher level. Elastic, who claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, has a fitness advantage over his rivals, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. The Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle features a competitive field, including Doujadou and Into The Blue. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, presents Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing experience. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer from the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, boasts an attractive pedigree, being related to Rajhani Express, and should be closely 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 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 at 4 pm, 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 3:50 pm at Ffos Las.