ACHILL native Michael Masterson is in the remarkable position of having two ‘bankers’ for the Cheltenham Festival – Appreciate It in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Kilcruit in the Champion Bumper.

Appreciate It has won two Grade 1 novice hurdles in great style, defeating another Grade 1 winner in Ballyadam on both occasions. He wasn’t even at his best last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival but as Willie Mullins commented afterwards “when Ballyadam came to him he got the job done which is the sign of a good horse”, and he is already proven around Cheltenham.

Masterson and his family own the British-based construction and plant hire firm Masterson Holdings. Living and working in Britain, he got into racehorse ownership about 20 years ago through business – a lot of deals are done on racetracks, he explained previously to The Irish Field. “As you can imagine, I was not really brought up with horses on Achill.”

“I’m semi-retired now – I’ve three boys in the business. They think I’m retired but I don’t!”

How did he acquire these two top-class prospects?

“Both were bought by Willie Mullins. Appreciate It was bought from Pat Doyle. Willie recommended Kilcruit because he was bred by his mum and trained by his brother Tony. Patrick always liked him and Willie recommended Kilcruit to me and you can’t turn down a Willie Mullins recommendation.”

Patrick Mullins explained the family connection to Kilcruit, who goes to Cheltenham off a spectacular bumper win at the Dublin Racing Festival by 12 lengths, described by his trainer as “unreal”.

“My grandmother used to have many mares back in the ‘70s and ‘80s but Kilcruit’s dam, Not Broke Yet, is the last of them. And Kilcruit is the last of her offspring.

“Tony (Mullins) had Kilcruit and was very sweet on him. I rode him in a bumper at Clonmel where he was beaten by one of Willie’s. I had never ridden in my grandmother’s colours before so I decided to do something about it. We had a buyer in Michael Masterson and that’s how it came about. Then Kilcruit won so easily at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“Different owners are looking for different types of horses, some like French horses, some want Irish horses, some are looking for chasers and some want juveniles ready to go.”

Kilcruit’s sire Stowaway headed last year’s Cheltenham Festival sire standings with two winners and two third-placed finishers.

Patrick Mullins filled out some background on the Supreme favourite: “Appreciate It was bought from Pat Doyle, he’s a fine looking horse. He was third to Envoi Allen first time out at Ballinaboola. He was a horse who needed time. He wasn’t top of the tree you might say at the time. The stallion is doing well. He was to be a three-mile chaser so it has exceeded all expectations what he has done so far.”

A son of Jeremy, Appreciate It was bred by Frank McNulty and partners, Barmakin Ltd and South Lodge Stud from a daughter of Saint Des Saints, Sainte Baronne. Appreciate It is among an impressive list of Grade 1 winners out of a Saint Des Saints mare, sharing his damsire with such as Douvan, Envoi Allen and Saint Roi.

Michael Masterson continued: “I’ve a few horses with Willie and I’ve been very lucky with Willie Mullins. I think I’ve had 11 runners and seven winners this season. That’s excellent.

“Everybody was saying Appreciate It was a two-and-a-half-miler, Willie stuck by the two miles. You know if you look at Appreciate It he was second in the Champion Bumper. He wins the Leopardstown bumper, he’s won two Grade 1 novice hurdles at Leopardstown. Willie has every faith in him.

“Yes I guess further down the road he’ll be a two-and-a-half-mile or three-mile chaser but we’ll take our chances in the Supreme. I don’t like to question Willie Mullins!”

Has he had a chance to see his two stars race or work?

“Not so much with what’s going on in the last year but I’m in close contact with Willie Mullins, Patrick and David Casey.”

Trainers have had to up their game now with communicating with owners?

“I find Willie and Patrick and David Casey excellent. You’ll always get it as it is.”

In a recent interview in The Irish Field, Willie Mullins was asked about his continued dominance of jump racing: “I think recruitment must be the key. We’re always on the lookout for young horses and that’s instrumental in building a base. Of course, you need the people to give you the money to invest in nice bloodstock. It’s a trust that builds up over years.

“It’s a combination – jockeys and staff are very important too. When you look at the top end of my staff, they are all with me the same length of time that I’m here in Closutton – Ruby, David, Patrick, Jackie and Dick Dowling our head man. That’s a lot of experience between everyone.”

Michael Masterson has spoken before about what Punchestown means to him, bringing family and friends together.

“For me Punchestown really is the highlight of the racing season. There’s a lot of pressure at Cheltenham and - well it won’t be this year - but you mix business with the racing.”

This year he can relax at home and watch his horses scoop up two Grade 1s?

“I’ve been favourite for the Bumper in the last two years and beaten by a Mullins’ horse on each occasion! Carefully Selected, trained by Willie in 2018, the favourite, was beaten by Relegate and Appreciae It last year beaten by Ferny Hollow.”

So it’s the turn of the blue and green colours?

“Yes my daughter Margaret’s colours, she lives in Ireland where we’ve been involved together for years. The horses in Ireland run in her colours and the horses in the UK run in the Mayo colours, my colours, the red and green.”

Naturally, Margaret is in a state of high anticipation: “I’m so excited to have two such fabulous horses going to Cheltenham and so grateful to Willie Mullins.

“It’s been a tough year for everyone and to get them there in tip-top shape is wonderful. The fact that racing goes ahead has given us so much enjoyment, plenty of light banter on the WhatsApp group connecting us all through the Masterson family horses.

“We had our first Cheltenham success 13 years ago in 2008, Silver Jaro, trained by Tom Hogan, won the Vincent O’Brien Hurdle at 50/1. I’m cautious to say we have ‘bankers’ in the bag. Carefully Selected and Neon Wolf were both beaten. You can never be sure in racing. We have two wonderful horses but it’s Cheltenham, the ground, the mind of the horses ... It’s very exciting.”

How does Michael think the current crisis will impact on racing and on ownership generally?

“I think it’s going to make it better. All I can hear from people is they’re dying to get back racing. I think the Irish racing and English racing authorities have done a lot to keep people going. I’ve had people ringing me up about the horses now that I never thought would be ever interested. A lot of people on Achill Island asking when are the horses running so I can watch them on the telly.”

Is there anything that trainers or HRI could encourage people to keep horses in training?

“I think they probably do a better job in Ireland. Definitely when I go to Ireland to Punchestown or Leopardstown or any of the Irish tracks, Naas, all those tracks, they look after the owners very, very well. I couldn’t help but heap praise on Leopardstown, Punchestown and Naas, all excellent. I can’t wait to get back to Ireland for a bit of craic.”

The last word goes to Michael on a horse other than his own to look out for. “I know he’s up against Kilcruit but I think Ramillies will run a big race for Willie Mullins in the Bumper.”