Hanson: Spot Plays for Newmarket Sept. 27

Newmarket will host several important two-year-old stakes as well as the historic Cambridgeshire H. on Saturday. Friday's three Group stakes at "Headquarters" are of lesser quality, but I'll be taking a swing at a couple as the British flat season enters its final month.

After tabbing St Leger (G1) winner Jan Brueghel in this space earlier this month, my English betting bankroll for the season stands at $486.90. I'll invest 5% of the outstanding balance on both of the following win selections.

Race 2: Princess Royal (G3), 9:25 a.m. ET

#4 Time Lock is the obvious mare to beat in this 1 1/2-mile event, having won the race convincingly last year and now dropping in class after falling short against males in the Jockey Club (G2), Coronation Cup (G1), and Princess of Wales's (G2).

#2 Mistral Star (4-1) doesn't have a Group win to her credit (yet) and hasn't consistently faced the quality of horses that the favorite has. She did turn in an eye-catching win, however, in a minor stakes over Newmarket's July Course two back, and last time plugged on for fourth in a Yorkshire Oaks (G1) that was a couple notches too high for her in grade.

A daughter of Frankel who's rarely run a bad one, Mistral Star can join half-brothers Al Suhail and Telecaster as a winner at Group level.

Race 3: Rockfel (G2), 10 a.m. ET

#5 Formal will be solidly favored in this seven-furlong test for two-year-old fillies off comfortable wins at Newbury and Leicester for the soon-to-be-retired training legend Sir Michael Stoute. However, #3 Duty First (6-1) appears to be in with a decent chance and at much better odds.

Duty First debuted in a hot maiden at Newmarket on July 13, finishing a distant fourth to Desert Flower. That rival is one of England's top juvenile fillies following her recent victory in the May Hill (G2) at Doncaster. Second in that Newmarket maiden was Flight, who chased Desert Flower again when third in the May Hill.

Duty First rebounded to break her maiden convincingly at Ayr next out, and then 12 days later, she finished a respectable second in the Prestige (G3) at Goodwood over a course with considerable give in it (the seven-furlong time exceeded 1:31).

The ground at Newmarket is not expected to be dry on Friday with rain in the forecast, but is unlikely to be as testing as it was at Goodwood. That might improve her chances for a filly who has shown speed in her last couple of starts.