Parties cool on 'peace deal' report

Speculation that peace has broken out in the horse-racing feud between Alex Ferguson and John Magnier have been treated with caution on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Reports this morning suggest Ferguson has agreed to drop his legal battle over the stud rights to Rock of Gibraltar in return for two ‘covers’ every year for the remainder of the horse’s life, estimated to be worth £80,000 (€118,096) per annum.

It has been claimed that a deal was thrashed out on Wednesday and will be formally confirmed on Monday.

If the stories are correct, it would represent a massive climbdown on Ferguson’s part as the Scot believed he was entitled to half the entire stud fees to the record-breaking stallion, who became the first horse in history to win seven Group One races.

Instead of the £100m (€147.4m) he might have expected to receive, Ferguson would be unlikely to collect more than £1.5m (€2.2m).

However, sources at both United and Magnier’s Coolmore operation insisted this morning they know nothing of the deal and are not preparing for any announcement.

Ferguson himself has remained tight-lipped over the issue since revealing that his son Jason had been forced to call in the police amid allegations that his mail was being stolen and his rubbish bin tampered with.

The long-serving United boss, who recently signed a one-year rolling extension to his current contract that expires in 2005, linked the claims to his row over ‘the Rock’, bringing accusations of possible defamation from the Irish camp.

United chief executive David Gill has previously stated that a speedy resolution to the dispute would be ’better for all parties’ and would no doubt welcome an end to the conflict, especially as this week Magnier, together with business partner JP McManus, took his stake in the Old Trafford outfit to 28.9%.