Nice One Eric

That sole win came at Southwell on 2nd March 2026, and it is the fixed point around which everything else in his career currently orbits. Southwell is an all-weather track in Nottinghamshire, which means racing goes ahead regardless of the British weather — useful context when you consider that his form either side of that win has been patchy. A fourth-place finish before it, then a seventh and an eighth after it, suggest a horse who ran well once and has since been searching for a repeat. He raced again just yesterday, so his the yard — his trainer — will soon know whether that Southwell run was a glimpse of something real or a high-water mark he is yet to match.

The man responsible for getting the best out of him is Ben Pauling, who trains out of Naunton in Gloucestershire. Pauling is having a strong season — 89 winners sent out is a significant tally and reflects a yard that is organised, busy, and clearly doing plenty right. A trainer operating at that volume has options: he can place horses carefully, wait for the right opportunity, and move on quickly from disappointment. That Nice One Eric raced as recently as yesterday suggests Pauling still believes there is more to come, which is probably the most encouraging thing you can say about a horse with a record this early in its career.