British Spot Plays: Newmarket for Sept. 25, 2026

We’re down to five major weekends left in the British flat season, which means the most significant racing will be concentrated at Newmarket and Ascot, with a little Doncaster thrown in at the end.

Heading into this weekend’s action at Newmarket, my British bankroll sits at $940.55 from a starting point of $500. I will wager 5% of the outstanding balance to win on the following selections for Friday, beginning with a $47 play.

Race 2: Princess Royal (G3), 8:50 a.m. ET

Although she must give some viable younger rivals a seven-pound concession, #3 Coedana (7-1) has been facing some formidable company of late and should appreciate this drop in class.

Book-ending a listed stakes win at Pontefract in June, Coedana finished four lengths third in a Group 3 at Carlisle, won by future Pretty Polly (G1) heroine Estrange with Park Hill (G2) scorer Waardah in second. Last time, Coedana was beaten just over three lengths in the German Group 1, which yielded the surprise Irish Champion (G1) one-two Hotazhell and Wimbledon Hawkeye.

That Munich try was Codeana’s only appearance outside the top three in 10 lifetime starts. This spot looks like a good place to bounce back in.

Race 3: Rockfel (G2), 9:25 a.m. ET

#6 Sea Venture (20-1) has been quite cool in the overseas market heading into this seven-furlong test for two-year-old fillies. Perhaps the sharpies will be proven right, and I will be wrong, but it’s simply too soon to give up on her.

Sea Venture was such a flashy debut winner at Haydock in late May that I endorsed her here for the Chesham S. on the third day of Royal Ascot. She didn’t deliver as strong a kick against the boys, losing by three lengths, and the fact that she didn’t run at all this summer suggests she either came out of the race with an issue or connections waited until autumn for potentially more ease in the ground.

She likely doesn’t get soft conditions here, given the forecast, but she is at least back in against fillies and is still relatively unexposed. A big price like this I won’t readily pass on.