Mr Macartney will bid to give trainer Oli Rix a breakthrough Group success when he lines up in Saturday’s £175,000 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.
Eight two-year-olds have been declared for the Group 2 contest, which takes place over six furlongs at 2.12pm on Saturday 19 September and is being run this year in honour of the late Ian Balding.
Mr Macartney has already played an important role in Rix’s first season as a trainer. The son of Ubettabelieveit gave the yard its first turf winner when landing a valuable two-year-old contest at Leicester in April before stepping into Group company.
He finished seventh in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and followed that with sixth place in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, where he finished strongly.
“Mr Macartney, he’s been a fantastic horse for us this year. He’s really put us on the map early on,” said Rix.
“He went from strength to strength through the season, running a huge race in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing seventh and running home really strong. We also had a really good run at Glorious Goodwood with him in the Richmond.”
Connections decided to geld Mr Macartney following his Goodwood run and bypassed the Gimcrack Stakes at York to give him time to prepare for Newbury. Rix believes that decision could bring further improvement from the two-year-old.
“I think he has improved, he’s come forward with every run each time,” he said. “He was a bit on and off the bridle at Goodwood and I just think since we’ve gelded him, he’ll just travel a bit stronger.
“His last strong gallop was the best he’s ever done on all our data and just visually, and the best feel he’s given Ray Dawson.”
Dawson retains the ride on Saturday, with Mr Macartney set to carry 9st 3lb.
Rix is also encouraged by the conditions at Newbury and believes the track should suit his runner.
“The going should be perfect and the track will suit him well. Newbury is a lovely track and there are no real idiosyncrasies to it,” he said.
“It would be fantastic to win the Mill Reef, such a historic race, in my first season, and it would be huge for the owners, who backed me from the very beginning.”
Arapaho Gold heads strong Mill Reef field
Mr Macartney faces seven rivals, headed by unbeaten Gimcrack Stakes winner Arapaho Gold.
Trained by Michael Dods, Arapaho Gold has won all four of his starts and returns to Newbury having already tasted success at the Berkshire track in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes. He subsequently stepped up to Group 2 company to win the Gimcrack at York and carries top weight of 9st 6lb on Saturday.
Hugo Palmer saddles Adaay of Scarlett, who has finished runner-up three times at Group 2 level this season, including in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, July Stakes at Newmarket and Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin are represented by Nabati, runner-up to Arapaho Gold in the Rose Bowl before going on to win at Newmarket. The team won last year’s Mill Reef Stakes with Words Of Truth.
There is also a particularly fitting runner from Andrew Balding in a race honouring his late father, Ian Balding. Juddmonte’s Jolivette arrives after finishing third in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York.
Cut A Dash for Richard Hannon, Kevin Ryan’s Matteo and Revels for Karl Burke complete the eight-runner field.
The Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes is scheduled for 2.12pm at Newbury on Saturday 19 September.
