 As a yearling, Mattaboy was offered for sale at auction and was bought for 10,500 guineas by the bloodstock agent Tote Cherry-Downes on behalf of the Indian shipping magnate Ravi Tikkoo.The colt was sent into training with Robert Armstrong at Newmarket, Suffolk.Mattaboy never contested a maiden race, instead making his racecourse debut in the five furlong Star Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse in July and winning easily from two opponents.