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. A thrilling matchup is anticipated in the Prix de la Grotte, where the talented Green Spirit and Narissa are poised to clash. 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, she is expected to set the standard on her return, ridden by Maxime Guyon. Narissa, who has consistently trailed Green Spirit in the past, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to demonstrate significant improvement to bridge the gap. Both fillies are currently priced at 8/1 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 aspirations on the line in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. The Christopher Head-trained colt achieved three wins in five starts as a two-year-old and concluded the season with an impressive second-place finish behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, earning him favoritism and a likely advantage with the step up to a mile. 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. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, 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, boasts an impressive pedigree and warrants market attention. The Sam Thomas-trained Knead A Win is top-rated but needs to prove fitness after an absence. The Group 3 Prix Noailles 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. Map Of Stars and Marquisat are expected to be popular among bettors in 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.