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 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 beaten by Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, she is expected to set the standard in her reappearance, 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 demonstrate significant improvement 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 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 an impressive campaign as a two-year-old, 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 a favorite, and the step up to a mile is likely to suit him. Regal Resolve poses the main threat, having been supplemented for this race after winning two lesser races on the all-weather at Chantilly. Elastic, with a recent Listed win at Saint-Cloud, has a fitness edge, 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. Doujadou, trained by Rebecca Curtis, has shown promise and is expected to improve with racing. Into The Blue, a newcomer for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville, has an attractive pedigree and warrants attention in the market. 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, 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 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 Tommy Williams Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Ffos Las.