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 at ParisLongchamp features a thrilling matchup 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 beaten 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 has finished behind Green Spirit on three occasions, 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 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 a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring three wins and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him the likely favorite, and the step up to a mile is expected to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat, having been supplemented for this race and boasting two wins from three starts, including a pair of victories on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, who recently claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud, has a fitness advantage over his competitors, while Campacite has top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. The Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle promises to be competitive, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among a field of 11. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, boasts a notable pedigree and should be closely monitored in the market. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, is top-rated 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, 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.