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 matchup between the talented 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 has trailed Green Spirit on three occasions, including a third-place finish in the Group 1, will need to demonstrate improvement over the winter to close 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 overlooked after a superb performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All attention will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims on the line 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 the season with an impressive second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, making him the likely favorite. This step up to a mile is expected to suit him. The main threat to Nighttime is Regal Resolve from the Francis-Henri Graffard yard, who has been supplemented for this race after winning two of his three starts on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, has a fitness advantage over his rivals, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. A competitive field is expected for the Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 entries. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing experience. Into The Blue, a newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, is an interesting contender with a notable pedigree. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, is top-rated but needs to prove fitness after a layoff. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a history of producing exceptional winners, including Calandagan in 2024. This year, Spece Waltz is favored 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, with James Doyle riding the former. On the domestic front, Manigod could be the one to beat in the Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.