Green Spirit and Narissa Face Off in the Prestigious Prix de la Grotte

A highly anticipated day of racing is underway at ParisLongchamp, accompanied by domestic events at Ffos Las. The thrilling pair, Green Spirit and Narissa, are set to clash in the esteemed Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp. Trained by Christopher Head, Green Spirit made significant strides last season, winning her first four starts, including victories at Group 3 and Group 2 levels. Although she was defeated by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, she sets the standard on 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 improved 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 on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at 2:50 pm. The Christopher Head-trained colt scored wins in three of his five starts as a two-year-old and finished the season with an excellent second-place finish behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, earning him favorite status in this event. 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 and deserving a chance at this higher level. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, has a fitness advantage over his competitors, 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 11 contestants. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize last season with Newton Tornado, presents Doujadou, who 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, has an intriguing 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 after a break. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at 3:25 pm has seen notable 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 at 4 pm, 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 3:50 pm at Ffos Las.