Stanley Wootton Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race)

16:05 Epsom Mon 31 Aug 2026 1m2f17y Class 4 Good to Soft 10 runners

Mr Fox’s call

Perfect Scoundrel

SPECULATIVE Advised 4/1 Est. 28%

🏁 4TH

Mr Fox says

Perfect Scoundrel (SR:81, 4/1, 9-13) is the highest-rated runner in the field and carries a weight advantage over joint top-weights Hengest and Almekarem (both 10-2), a meaningful 3lb edge on good to soft ground at Epsom. The course form is directly relevant — a W1P1 record at this track is a genuine specialist signal on a course that punishes strangers. The form string -86321 shows a progressive sequence into the last run with a clear upward trend, and stepping up one class is offset by the moderate SR ceiling in this field. Robert Havlin (13% career strike rate) is a solid booking and the 4/1 price represents fair value for the most credible combination of ratings, course form, and recent improvement. Each-way alternative: Double Red. Main danger: Double Red — Double Red (SR:77, 4/1, 9-10) has a confirmed GoingFit:+ on today's ground, carries 3lb less than Perfect Scoundrel, holds course form (W1P1 at Epsom), and the market has shortened 19% — money has come for this horse with a reason.

Verify· #15269

Full result

Winner: Hello Cotai (IRE) at SP 14/1. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

1 Hello Cotai Jim Boyle · Pat Cosgrave 14/1
2 Almekarem Fox #4 Sir Mark Prescott Bt · Dylan Hogan 10/3
3 Hengest Fox #3 Dylan Cunha · Jason Watson 10/1
4 Perfect Scoundrel Fox #1 Amanda Perrett · Robert Havlin 9/2
5 Trio Eve Johnson Houghton · Charles Bishop 6/1
6 Sail On Sailor Simon Dow · Joe Leavy 7/1
7 Arthur's Realm Gihan Arnolda · Darragh Keenan 14/1
8 Double Red Fox #2 Henry Candy · David Probert 4/1
9 Crystal Pier Ralph Beckett · Hector Crouch 16/1
— Mao Shang Wong David O'Meara · Saffie Osborne 16/1

Top 4 — how each finished

1 Perfect Scoundrel 4/1 🏁 4TH
2 Double Red 4/1 8TH
3 Hengest 9/1 🥉 3RD
4 Almekarem 10/3 🥈 2ND