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 at ParisLongchamp, 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 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 a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to demonstrate improvement over the winter to bridge the gap. Currently, both 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 third-place finish in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All eyes will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. The Christopher Head-trained colt had a successful two-year-old campaign, scoring three wins from five starts and finishing with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him the likely favorite, and the step up to a mile is expected to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat from the Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having won two of his three starts, including a pair of all-weather races at Chantilly. Elastic, who claimed a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud last month, has a fitness advantage over his rivals, 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, fields Doujadou, who has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, a newcomer trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, is an interesting contender with a notable pedigree. 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, 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 choices for the Listed Prix Lord Seymour, with James Doyle riding the former for Wathnan Racing. On home soil, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.