Sarasola reportedly turned down a Japanese offer of $22 million for the horse prior to the 1997 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Eng-I). He finished third in the stakes.A French champion the year of his Arc win, Helissio will stand for £2,000.
Helissio, who won the 1996 Forte Meridien Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) for Enrique Sarasola, has been purchased by Alfred Buller's Scarvagh House Stud from the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station, according to the Racing Post.A 12-year-old son of Fairy King out of the Slewpy mare Helice, French-bred Helissio will move to Scarvagh House in Northern Ireland from the National Stud near Newmarket, England. The latter had leased Helissio from Shadai, located in Japan, for the 2004/2005 breeding seasons. His fee this season is £6,000.Helissio, who shuttled to Widden Stud in Australia, has sired Australian champion Helenus and Japanese group winner Health Wall, plus two stakes-placed runners.