One Eye – no problem

One Eye Bandit (Always B Miki) joined an elite club with his win at Addington tonight.

The three year old has only one eye.

ONE EYE BANDIT REPLAY

Owned by Phil and Melinda Cummings of Tuapeka Lodge, One Eye Bandit lost his eye when he was a weanling.

“It started off as a small ulcer. We got him down to the vet and he spent fifteen days down there trying to get it right so we could get him to the yearling sales. It didn’t work, so eventually we had to make the decision to take the eye out,” Cummings said.

One Eye Bandit suffered no ill effect from the operation and went about life like a normal young horse, growing up in Lawrence.

“He was amazing. If he was standing there tied up, you had to be careful and talk to him a bit when you were approaching him. I watched him closely and I never saw him go close to running into a strainer or gate. He seemed to know his distances pretty good.”

Cummings broke One Eye Bandit in and rang a few trainers to get some information about racing a horse with one eye.

“They said there was no reason why you can’t. There have been horses with one eye that have raced.”

Cummings says One Eyed Bandit has taken a bit of making but does possess high speed.

“Bob (trainer Bob Butt) being the master he is, has kept him in tact and looked after him.”  

One Eye Bandit is out of Break Dance, an Art Major mare that won five races. When she won the 2017 Southern Belle Speed Series at Winton and ran the mile in 1-53.3 it was a race and track record.

She’s been a shy breeder, leaving only three foals, but all have now won races.

“Down at Macca Lodge they pull their hair out about her but we just gotta be patient. She’s in foal to Downbytheseaside.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink