'One of the best-bred two-year-olds in training' - can this Coolmore homebred make a winning debut on Wednesday?

Navan stages an eight-race card on Wednesday featuring a mile maiden (3.52) with a particularly well-bred Ballydoyle newcomer. Here is all you need to know . . .

Who is he?

Proposition is by Frankel and out of Halfway To Heaven, the dam of multiple Group 1 winners Magical and Rhododendron.

The colt makes his first racecourse start on Wednesday and will be ridden by Jack Cleary, who claims 5lb.

Proposition's trainer Aidan O’Brien has operated at a 36 per cent strike-rate at Navan this season.

Aidan O'Brien: runs Proposition at Navan on WednesdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The bloodstock view

By Martin Stevens, bloodstock journalist

Proposition is not just the best-bred two-year-old running today but also one of the best-bred two-year-olds in training anywhere in the world.

The Coolmore homebred is a Frankel three-parts brother to champions Magical and Rhododendron (the latter the dam of another champion in Auguste Rodin) out of Halfway To Heaven, a daughter of Pivotal whose three Group 1 victories included the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes.

Magical: a seven-time top-level winner for BallydoyleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Halfway To Heaven is in turn out of the brilliant sprinter Cassandra Go, also dam of Group 3 winners Theann and Tickled Pink and ancestress of top-level winners Photo Call and Victoria Road, as well as Richmond Stakes scorer Land Force.

Who does he face?

Proposition faces 12 rivals with the market expecting his stablemate, Ex Animo, to prove the biggest danger under Wayne Lordan.

Ex Animo, by the late Wootton Bassett, is a half-brother to the Andrew Balding-trained Serenity Prayer, who finished runner-up in this year’s Musidora Stakes behind Whirl.

Also in contention is James J Braddock, one of three Joseph O'Brien-trained runners and partnered by Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Top jumps trainers Henry de Bromhead and Noel Meade have rare juvenile runners in Totally Puzzled and Ardad Ned.

Of those with experience, Johnny Soda bids to step forward on a debut seventh at Naas, while Dreoilin, eighth of nine at Gowran last month, represents Jim Bolger, who recently revealed plans to scale down his training operation.

• 'Jim never cared what anyone else thought, I admire that' - a visit to history-making Redmondstown Stud 

Spotlight verdict

The O'Briens are likely to dominate. Wayne Lordan's presence on Ex Animo just about sways the vote over his Ballydoyle stablemate Proposition, who is more appealing on pedigree and could pose a serious threat with Jack Cleary taking off 5lb. James J Braddock is the selection of a Joseph O'Brien-trained trio.
Alan Sweetman

Ex Animo15:52 Navan

View Racecard

Jky: Wayne Lordan Tnr: A P O'Brien

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