Row over the well-bred Rock of Gibraltar

One person who will be feeling under pressure at the news that Mr John Magnier's and Mr JP McManus's Cubic Expression increased its stake in Manchester United to 23 per cent yesterday is the team's manager, Mr Alex Ferguson.

Mr Ferguson has signed up Dublin law firm LK Shields and Company and senior counsel, Mr Colm Allen, to advise him on his dispute with Mr Magnier over the rights to the millions likely to be earned at stud by the racehorse part-owned by the football manager, Rock of Gibraltar.

Running in Mr Ferguson's colours, he stamped a well-bred hoof on racing history in 2001 and 2002.

The horse won seven group one races, toppling a 30-year-old record in the process. Winning just one or two races at that level opens up the possibility of a lucrative career at stud for a thoroughbred.

Last autumn, he went to stud at Mr Magnier's Coolmore Stud in Co Tipperary.

The business never revealed the nomination fees likely to be charged to breeders for servicing or "covering" their broodmares.

However, one report in the Racing Post claimed it would be paid around £50,000 sterling (€70,000) each time he covered a mare at Coolmore's Australian stud, where he was based for part of the year.

Mr Ferguson claims he is entitled to half these fees, which on the basis of the Racing Post calculation, could run into several million euros a year.

It is understood that the Coolmore argument is that his share in the horse was essentially given to him as a gift, and that he had the option of either taking a share of the thoroughbred's winnings, or taking one nomination fee a year.

Neither side has issued proceedings at this stage, but it's clear that the two men at the centre of the row are no longer talking.

No doubt Mr Ferguson feels that he has more than the fans looking over his shoulder.