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

A thrilling day of racing is on the horizon at ParisLongchamp, complemented by domestic action from Ffos Las. The highly anticipated Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp features a captivating matchup between Green Spirit and Narissa. 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 outperformed by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, she sets a high standard on her return, partnered with Maxime Guyon. Narissa trailed Green Spirit on three occasions last year, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1 event. To close the gap, she will need to have shown improvement over the winter. Both horses are currently 8/1 for the French 1000 Guineas. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who has won the last two renewals of this race, also fields Anashkaya, ridden by 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 aspirations to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at 2:50 pm. The Christopher Head-trained colt secured victories in three of his five starts as a two-year-old and concluded the campaign with an impressive second-place finish behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form warrants his position as the favorite, and the step up to a mile is expected to suit him. Today's highlights on Sky Sports Racing include the start of Spring Trials weekend at Newbury. Other notable events include Oxagon's Craven Stakes success for the in-form Gosden team at Newmarket, Azleet's 50-1 Nell Gwyn Stakes win, and Hollie Doyle's blog on her hopes for Derby contender Wareeth in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket. Regal Resolve poses the main threat to Nighttime, hailing from the dominant Francis-Henri Graffard yard. After winning two lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly, he deserves a chance at this higher level. Elastic, having claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, 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 lineup, including Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 contestants. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, fields 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 as a relative of Rajhani Express and should be monitored in the market. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, is top-rated with a mark of 122 and has solid claims if fit enough after a break. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a history of producing 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 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 open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at 3:50 pm at Ffos Las.