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. The highly anticipated Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp features a thrilling matchup between the talented duo Green Spirit and Narissa. 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 defeated 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 has trailed Green Spirit on three occasions, including a third-place finish in the aforementioned Group 1, will need to have made notable progress over the winter to bridge the gap. Currently, both horses 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 performance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. All attention will be on Nighttime as he puts his Classic claims to the test in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at 2:50 pm. The Christopher Head-trained colt had an impressive campaign as a two-year-old, scoring three wins from five starts and finishing with an excellent second behind Puerto Rico in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This form makes him a likely favorite, and the step up to a mile is expected to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat from the formidable Francis-Henri Graffard yard, having been supplemented for this race after winning two lesser races on the all-weather 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 competitive Amroth Bay Static Caravan Sales Maiden Hurdle features Doujadou and Into The Blue among a field of 11. Rebecca Curtis, who won this prize with Newton Tornado last season, presents Doujadou, who 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 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 at ParisLongchamp has a rich history of stellar winners, including Calandagan in 2024. This year, Spece Waltz is well-favored for Andre Fabre, while Joseph O'Brien's Hardy Warrior is of interest. 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 the domestic front, the progressive Manigod could be the one to beat in the open-looking Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.