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 Green Spirit and Narissa. Trained by Christopher Head, Green Spirit made significant strides last season, winning her first four starts, including notable 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 on her return, ridden by Maxime Guyon. Narissa, who trailed Green Spirit on three occasions last year, including in the Group 1 event, will need to have made significant progress over the winter to close the gap. 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, 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 on the line 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 finishing with an excellent second behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him the favorite, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat for the Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having won two of his three starts, including a pair of lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, who claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, has a fitness edge over his rivals, while Campacite boasts top-level placed form for Jean-Claude Rouget. The Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle is a competitive event, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among a field of 11. Rebecca Curtis, who took this prize last season with Newton Tornado, has Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer for the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, has a notable pedigree and should be monitored in the market. The Sam Thomas-trained Knead A Win is top-rated but needs to prove fitness after an absence. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp has a history of stellar winners, 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 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 open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.