Green Spirit and Narissa Set to Collide in the 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 on the cards as the talented duo Green Spirit and Narissa are poised to clash in the prestigious Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp. 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 outperformed 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 trailed Green Spirit on three occasions last year, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to demonstrate improvement over the winter to bridge the gap. Currently, both are 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 underestimated following a superb performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All eyes 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 had a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring in three of his five starts and concluding with an excellent second place 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 likely to be in his favor. Regal Resolve poses the main threat, hailing from the formidable Francis-Henri Graffard yard. Having been supplemented for this race and boasting a two-from-three record after winning a pair of lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly, he merits 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, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, has top-level placed form. The Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle features a competitive field, including Doujadou and Into The Blue among 11 participants. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, presents Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with more racing experience. Into The Blue, a newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, boasts an attractive pedigree, being related to Rajhani Express, and should be closely watched in the market. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, is the top-rated on a mark of 122 and has solid claims if he is fit enough after his absence. The Group 3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp, which has been won by stellar performers like Calandagan in 2024, sees Spece Waltz as a well-fancied contender 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.