Eric Carmen

The numbers back that up. Over a 30-race career, Eric Carmen has won 5 times and finished in the places a further 13 times — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 6 races across his lifetime. But zoom into the last six runs and a very different picture emerges: two wins, two second places, and only one finish outside the top three. That is the kind of form any trainer would be delighted with, and Hanmer has described this season's performances as "incredible really."

The horse has a clear preference for wet or muddy ground — 2 wins from just 5 races in those conditions works out at 40%, which means he has won 2 in every 5 times the ground has been soft. On fast, dry ground that number drops sharply, so keeping an eye on the weather forecast before Eric Carmen runs is not a bad idea. He competes mainly at Class 5 level, the bread-and-butter tier of British racing, where he has won 5 of his 25 races at that grade — 1 in every 5.

His most recent win came at Market Rasen in February 2026, just eight weeks ago, and Hanmer says the horse is ready to go again when the right opportunity comes around. The yard has been in fine form this season — 19 winners already — so there is every reason to think Eric Carmen will add to that tally. Jockey Jack Hogan has ridden him nine times for one win together, a partnership that has yet to fully click, but the horse's current form suggests that could change quickly.

At an age when many horses are winding down, Eric Carmen is running some of the best races of his life. A change of routine, a bit of soft ground, and a trainer willing to think differently — sometimes that is all it takes.