Magnier and Ferguson were good buddies with the Irishman a shareholder in Manchester United, and the Scot was invited to buy a share in the well-bred colt. Ferguson accepted and invested just shy of �175,000 for a 50 per cent stake. It seemed a shrewd move when Rock of Gibraltar took off on a world record seven-Group-1-race winning streak that stretched from Longchamp in October of 2001, through both the Irish and English 2,000 Guineas and back to Longchamp just over a year later. Only the Breeders' Cup Mile in the US proved beyond his reach. But by this stage Rock of Gibraltar had won over �1.82m in prize money and Magnier saw a lucrative future when the horse was retired to stud. This, of course, was where the real money was to be made.

It's believed that Coolmore would start off his covering fee at �100,000 per mare but that figure would surely rise.

Coolmore's top performer in 2002, Sadler's Wells, covered 164 mares at �200,000 a go.

Ferguson, with a half share in the horse, looked to be sitting on a goldmine. But it was on this rock that the friendship and the business arrangement faltered.

Magnier disputed Ferguson's claims to a share of stud fees which, he said, were owned by Coolmore. While ownership rights normally extend to the stud farm there was an argument that Magnier only sold Ferguson a share of the racing rights, thus denying him any earnings away from the track. The fallout was huge with Magnier's interests in Manchester United complicating matters. The pair had celebrated many wins together but now their lawyers were waging war.

It looked as if proceedings would reveal every seamy detail but, in the end, discretion won out with the pair agreeing to settle out of court. These days Rock of Gibraltar still covers for Coolmore, spending half his year in Ireland and half in Australia for the breeding season down under.

The fee he commands is substantial, but confidential.

As for Ferguson, he isn't saying how much he gets.