Champagne Joseph Perrier Handicap Stakes

17:00 Salisbury Wed 12 Aug 2026 1m1f201y Class 4 Good to Firm 7 runners

Mr Fox’s call

Fox Avatar

SPECULATIVE Advised 5/2 Est. 35%

🥉 3RD

Mr Fox says

Fox Avatar (SR 92, 5/2) is the clear SR leader in this modest Class 4 field and carries a manageable 9-7, giving him a 3lb weight advantage over top-weight Londoner (SR 87, 9-10). The 20% market shortening is the most significant signal in the race — Varian/Murphy is a powerful booking with a combined career profile (19%/21% strike rates) that dwarfs every other yard-jockey combination declared. Form of 151-67 shows he's capable of winning at a higher level than this, and while DistFit and GoingFit are both unknown, the absence of negative flags (unlike Londoner's GoingFit:-) means uncertainty rather than proven unsuitability. The market is backing him with conviction and the SR advantage is real. Each-way alternative: Carnival Day. Main danger: Londoner — Londoner (SR 87) is the second-best rated horse in the field and the Marquand booking gives him a live chance, though GoingFit:- is a real concern on this Good to Firm surface and a form line of 159542 lacks a recent standout effort.

Verify· #12002

Full result

Winner: Mythical Bird (IRE) at SP 7/1. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

1 Mythical Bird Hughie Morrison · Rob Hornby 9/1
2 Almekarem Fox #4 Sir Mark Prescott Bt · Luke Morris 11/2
3 Fox Avatar Fox #1 Roger Varian · Oisin Murphy 11/4
4 Londoner Fox #2 Daniel & Claire Kubler · Tom Marquand 7/2
5 Carnival Day Fox #3 Jim Boyle · Pat Cosgrave 5/1
6 Eupator Richard Hannon · Sean Levey 9/1
— Miss Tonnerre Ed Walker · Kieran Shoemark 7/1

Top 4 — how each finished

1 Fox Avatar 5/2 🥉 3RD
2 Londoner 4/1 🏁 4TH
3 Carnival Day 4/1 5TH
4 Almekarem 13/2 🥈 2ND