ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, the racehorse at the centre of the dispute between Alex Ferguson and a former major shareholder at Manchester United, John Magnier, has died.
The racehorse passed away last night due to heart failure at the age of 23.
“He was healthy and looking great right up to the end,” said Castlehyde manager Paddy Fleming in a statement. “He was a fantastic racehorse and a very good sire who will be missed by all the staff here.”
The son of Danehill, bred by the late Joe Crowley and Anne-Marie and Aidan O’Brien, was the first horse ever to win seven consecutive Group 1 races in the Northern Hemisphere, breaking Mill Reef’s 30-year-old record.
He finished up his two-year-old season with wins in the Grand Criterium and the Dewhurst and as a three-year-old he added the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin.
At stud he sired a total of 16 Group 1 or Grade 1 winners in Britain, Ireland, France, USA, Hong Kong and Australia, headed by Criterium International and Eclipse Stakes winner Mount Nelson, Golden Jubilee Stakes and Haydock Sprint Cup winner Society Rock, along with Irish 1,000 Guineas and Garden City Stakes heroine Samitar.
For football fans, the horse’s name is indelibly linked with Ferguson’s, as the former Manchester United manager fell out with the club’s leading shareholders at the time, JP McManus and Magnier.
Ferguson began legal proceedings against Magnier in 2003. The legendary manager co-owned the horse which won over €1.4 million in prize money with Magnier’s wife Sue.
The dispute centred on whether Ferguson was entitled to half the stud fees as well as half the prize money.
A 2003 statement from Coolmore read: “Coolmore Stud has today been advised that legal proceedings have been initiated against Mr John Magnier by Sir Alex Ferguson alleging certain ownership rights to the stallion Rock of Gibraltar.
“Coolmore Stud and John Magnier consider the action to be without merit and it will be vigorously defended.”
As Magnier and his business partner JP McManus were majority shareholders in Manchester United, the situation became tense, especially in 2004 when Magnier and JP McManus submitted their 99 Questions to the United board, demanding answers over the club’s affairs and transfer dealings.
Key questions were asked about Cristiano Ronaldo, Jaap Stam and Tim Howard’s transfers.
Watching from the other side of the Atlantic, Malcolm Glazer decided it was an opportune time to lodge a bid for the club – and offered Magnier and McManus a bid for their 28.7% stake in the club. The takeover was worth just over €800 million and was completed in 2005.
