Serendipity leads Behesht to new career at Whytemount Stud

Serendipity was most definitely at play for new Whytemount Stud stallion Behesht, who recently completed his journey from Kentucky to Kilkenny and is now preparing for the breeding season at his new home near historic Kells Priory, alongside Affinisea, Valirann, Manatee and Feel Like Dancing.

The Aga Khan-bred horse from the first crop of the outstanding Sea The Stars had been at Calumet Farm until recently, when a chance discovery by the bloodstock agent, and Ronnie O'Neill's neighbour, Mick Kelly saw him whisked off on the road to Kilkenny.

"I have to say a massive thank you to Mick Kelly, who tracked Behesht down and told me about him, I wouldn't have the horse but for him," said the delighted O'Neill, who hadn't a moment's hesitation about standing Behesht, even though he has a roster of young stallions to support and develop.

"I wasn't looking for another stallion but when Mick told me about this horse and that he was available, I had to take him. He has a pedigree to die for, with Group 1 and Grade 1 winners under his first two dams."

That pedigree O'Neill refers to is replete with bold black type. Behesht is a three-parts brother to Behkabad, who won the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix Niel, was third in the Breeders' Cup Turf and fourth in the Arc and Prix du Jockey Club.

He is also a half-brother to the Listed Prix de l'Avre winner Carthage, who was second in the Prix Niel and, like Bekhabad, fourth in the French Derby.

Their dam Behkara won the Prix Hubert de Chaudenay and was twice placed in the Prix Royal-Oak. She is a daughter of Prix Saint-Alary winner Behera and is a Kris half-sister to the Group 3 winner Bayrika, dam of Listed winner Baylani De S'Ena and second dam of Vital Equine, who won the Champagne Stakes and was placed in the 2,000 Guineas and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

On the National Hunt side, Behkara is a half-sister to Tolworth Hurdle and Long Distance Hurdle winner Behrajan, who also won the Pillar Chase. Behkara's unraced half-sister Behariya has produced a pair of Listed-winning jumpers in France and another half-sister is the dam of Grade 2 hurdle winner Ivan Grozny.

Behra, her Grand Lodge half-sister who was third in the Prix Petite Etoile, is the dam of Grade 1 winner Barizan, who was also second in the Triumph Hurdle, and the Grade 2 winner Baradari.

Behra's branch of the family tree is one O'Neill is very familiar with.

"I remember Barizan winning the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown for Evan Williams, so when the Aga Khan sold his half-sister Behana at Goffs in 2012 we bought her," he said.

Ronnie O'Neill: delighted and surprised to have been able to get his hands on BeheshtCredit: Patrick McCann

"My son John won a bumper on her and Rachel, my daughter, rode her as well and she was placed five times for us too. We have her as a broodmare and she has a five-year-old by Valirann, four-year-old and three-year-old colts by Affinisea, and we sold her yearling Affinisea to Timmy Hillman at Fairyhouse last month."

Behesht won the Listed Prix Turenne for Alain de Royer-Dupre at three, and was also runner-up to subsequent Prix du Moulin winner Vadamos in the Listed Prix Frederic de Lagrange. In all, he won three of his seven starts in France.

He was bought for €525,000 by Dermot Weld at the 2014 Arqana Arc Sale and made one start for the master of Rosewell House and Calumet Farm as a four-year-old, before being transferred to the United States and eventually on to a stud career in Kentucky, as part of the farm's singular approach to breeding.

"He's not the type of horse who would be suited to American breeding really, so it wasn't a surprise he wasn't popular over there," said O'Neill.

He had long admired the son of Sea The Stars and believed him to be an outstanding stallion prospect but beyond his reach. That was until Calumet Farm offloaded him for buttons at Keeneland in January, among a trio of well-bred stallions that the farm entered in the sale, including Lentenor, a brother to star-crossed Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Having not seen him in the flesh for a number of years, O'Neill was pleasantly surprised by how fit and well Behesht was when he arrived at Whytemount Stud fresh from his transatlantic flight.

"He's a fine big horse, 16.2 hands, with plenty of bone," he said. "The photos and videos don't really do him justice. I was very impressed with him when he stepped off the lorry here on Saturday afternoon.

"It's a tough year to be starting off a new stallion, when there are so many new horses at stud here, but there are very few with the pedigree of Behesht."

To stand out in that crowded marketplace, and give breeders an opportunity to use him at a very affordable level, Behesht will be available at a fee of €1,500 for a colt and just €500 for a filly foal.

O'Neill added: "When Behesht came up for sale a few years ago I thought he would make some stallion, with his pedigree and being a son of Sea The Stars, but I never thought we would ever be able to stand him here."

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