'It doesn't seem to bother her' - the one-eyed debutante bidding to strike it lucky for Willie Mullins on Saturday

A Willie Mullins-trained bumper horse will always attract attention given the trainer's unrivalled strike-rate in such events but the interestingly named Eyecanboogie will arouse even more interest at Kilbeggan on Saturday as her left eye was removed due to an infection as a foal.

The four-year-old is owned by the Closutton Racing Club, which has secured Graded success with Shewearsitwell and also has Maughreen, who was favourite for last season's Champion Bumper before injury curtailed her campaign. 

Having lost her left eye, Eyecanboogie is making her debut under Patrick Mullins at a right-handed track so her sight is on the rail but racing club manager James Fenton says her physical handicap does not seem to bother her much at home.

"As she's going around Kilbeggan, her eye will be on the rail as it's her left eye that isn't there," he said. "I've seen her working a few times at Willie's and we've had her going left- and right-handed at home in pre-training. The only time it really seems to bother her is when she's being washed down or tacked up as she could get a bit of a fright if you came into her blind side and she didn't hear you.

"When she's going about her business, it doesn't seem to bother her. It's not too uncommon [for a racehorse to have one eye]."

There have been a few examples of one-eyed performers in recent times. Wren's Breath was a Listed winner on the Flat for Henry de Bromhead in 2021, while the Gary Moore-trained Odin's Quest won a bumper and maiden hurdle a couple of years ago.

The impairment was never a deterrent for Fenton when sourcing the Jukebox Jury filly as he was struck by her scope and size.

"She's leased off Paddy and Louis Kennedy of Mountainview Stud. They rang me one day to see if I'd be interested in a Jukebox Jury filly," he said.

"When they told me her size and I looked at the pedigree, I said bring her on and I was delighted with her when I looked at her. She hasn't put a foot wrong. She was a bit free-going at the start and we got her back in under herself. My cousin Shane has done a lot of good work with her. She's very professional and we're very happy with her.

"She's first time out on a tricky track and there's a couple in there who could be smart. But her work has been very good and she's got plenty of size."

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