Green Spirit and Narissa Set for Thrilling Showdown in Prix de la Grotte

The stage is set for an exciting day of racing at ParisLongchamp, accompanied by domestic action from Ffos Las. A standout clash is brewing in the Prix de la Grotte, where the talented duo Green Spirit and Narissa are poised to face off. 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 trailed Green Spirit on three occasions, including a third-place finish in the Group 1, will need to demonstrate significant improvement over the winter to close the gap. Currently, both horses are 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 third-place finish in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All eyes will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims on the line in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Trained by Christopher Head, Nighttime scored three wins from five starts as a two-year-old and finished his campaign with an excellent second place behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him a favorite, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Meanwhile, Regal Resolve poses the main threat from the Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having won two of his three starts on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, 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 promises to be competitive, featuring Doujadou and Into The Blue among its 11 contenders. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, an interesting newcomer from the Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville combination, boasts a pedigree related to Rajhani Express and warrants market attention. Knead A Win, trained by Sam Thomas, 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. On home soil, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.