Green Spirit and Narissa Set to Collide in the Prix de la Grotte

The stage is set for an exciting day of racing at ParisLongchamp, complemented by domestic action from Ffos Las. A thrilling matchup is anticipated as Green Spirit and Narissa face off in the prestigious Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp. 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 outrun 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 have made progress over the winter to bridge the gap. Currently, both are 8/1 contenders for the French 1000 Guineas. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who has won the last two renewals of this race, also enters Anashkaya, partnered with Christophe Soumillon. Evolutionist, trained by Karl Burke, cannot be overlooked after a superb third-place finish in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All attention will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic aspirations to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. The Christopher Head-trained colt had a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring in three of his five starts and concluding with a notable second 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 from the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having been supplemented for this race after winning two lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, holds a fitness advantage over his competitors, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. The Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle features a competitive field of 11, including Doujadou and Into The Blue. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize last season with Newton Tornado, has shown promise and is expected to improve with experience. Into The Blue, a newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, is an interesting entry 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 stellar winners, including Calandagan in 2024, and this year, Spece Waltz is highly 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 choices 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 open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.