 The independent Timeform organisation rated him on 121, thirteen pounds behind Storm Bird, who was their best two-year-old of the year.In their annual "Racehorses of 1980" Timeform described Mattaboy as "the best of mediocre bunch of two-year-old colt sprinters".In the following year Timeform gave him a rating of 124, sixteen pounds behind their Horse of the Year Shergar.