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, complemented by domestic action from Ffos Las. The highly anticipated Prix de la Grotte 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, 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 aforementioned Group 1, will need to demonstrate significant improvement to close the gap. Both horses are currently 8/1 contenders 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 focused 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 from five starts and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him a favorite, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat from the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having won two of his three starts, including a pair of all-weather races at Chantilly. Elastic, who claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, has a fitness advantage over his competitors, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. A competitive field is assembled for the Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 participants. 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, boasts an impressive pedigree and warrants attention 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 has a rich 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 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 Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.