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 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 consistently trailed Green Spirit, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to demonstrate significant improvement over the winter to bridge the gap. Both 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 on Nighttime as he puts his Classic credentials to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at 2:50 pm. Trained by Christopher Head, Nighttime had a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring in three of his five starts and finishing with an impressive second 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. The main threat comes from Regal Resolve, representing the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard, who has 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 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 a field of 11. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize last season with Newton Tornado, presents Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer for the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, boasts a notable pedigree and should be monitored in the market. The Sam Thomas-trained Knead A Win is top-rated and has solid claims if fit enough after an absence. 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, with James Doyle riding the former for Wathnan Racing. On home soil, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.