Latest news with #JohnMagnier
BreakingNews.ie
10 hours ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Maurice Regan sent text saying he hoped news article gave John Magnier a 'heart attack'
Construction magnate Maurice Regan, involved in the bitter dispute over the failed sale of Barne Estate in Co Tipperary, wrote in a text to a third party that he hoped a newspaper article would give rival bidder and billionaire John Magnier a "heart attack". US-based Mr Regan appeared in the Four Courts in Dublin on Wednesday morning before Mr Justice Max Barrett giving evidence of his involvement in bids for the estate when it was put to him by Paul Gallagher SC, for the Magnier side, that he sent the WhatsApp message. Mr Regan replied: "All is fair in love and war." Advertisement Mr Magnier wants the court to enforce a €15 million 'handshake deal' he claims he sealed at his home on August 22nd, 2023, with Richard Thomson-Moore, an heir to the 751-acre, 17th-century estate. The Magnier side has sued the Barne Estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd group – the estate trustees – seeking to enforce the purported deal, which they say had been "unequivocally" agreed. The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement, as they needed the consent of the trustees to finalise any deal. They subsequently preferred to sell the estate to Mr Regan for €22.25 million. Mr Thomson-Moore has told the court that while a "price" was agreed with Mr Magnier for Barne, a "deal" was not. Advertisement The trustees who hold the estate initially decided to remain loyal to the Magnier offer and felt Mr Regan's higher offer could be seen as "provocative". After the exclusivity period had ended, the trustees decided to go with Mr Regan's offer. On Wednesday at the High Court, Mr Regan, who is not a party to proceedings, was questioned about the message sent in October 2023 to another man with some knowledge of the deal's progression. Mr Gallagher said Mr Regan sent a link to the man of a newspaper article referencing Mr Magnier and Mr Regan and followed this up by saying "hopefully, it will give him a heart attack". Mr Gallagher said the message referred to Mr Magnier, to which Mr Regan said, "Yes, we were at war, according to him [Mr Magnier] and... all is fair in love and war". Advertisement The row between the two businessmen has been described as a "war" by witnesses in the case. Mr Regan told Martin Hayden SC, for Barne Estate and Mr Thomson-Moore, that he rejected being described as a "dark force" in the deal by Mr Gallagher at a previous hearing when claiming Mr Regan was funding the defendants in the litigation. After agreeing on €15 million, Barne and the Magniers entered into an exclusivity agreement stipulating that Barne would not permit itself or its representatives to solicit or encourage any expression of interest, inquiry or offer on the property from anyone other than Mr Magnier between August 31st to September 30th, 2023. Mr Regan said a description of him as a "dark force" trying to breach the exclusivity agreement was a "cheap shot" and that he had been a victim of "derogatory remarks" that were going to be in the press "forever". Advertisement Mr Regan described Mr Gallagher's remarks as "very hurtful" to him, that he did not know why they were made. He added he "just wanted to buy a farm... and here I am today". He said he never knew anything about the exclusivity agreement when bidding on the farm and that nobody told him it was in place. He denied funding the Thomson-Moores defence and said that he had, last April, given Barne Estate Ltd a commercial loan from one of his companies against the farm. Mr Regan said he was "blocked" out of bidding for the farm and that "multiple offers were ignored for a long time" making him think that "something is going on". Mr Regan told Mr Hayden he admired the Thomson-Moores as a nice family and would not have "misled" them in the selling process, as claimed by Mr Magnier in his evidence. Advertisement Mr Regan told Mr Gallagher that the signed exclusivity imposed obligations on the vendors of Barne but not on him and that he did not attempt to induce any breach of the agreement. At one stage during the evidence, Mr Regan had to clarify to Mr Gallagher that he was using "light humour" when he said that the silence from Barne on his offers made him wonder if Richard Thomson-Moore had actually been "kidnapped". Mr Regan said approaches to the joint estate agents handling the deal was an attempt to make himself "relevant" regarding the sale and to get "back in the game". Ireland Court hears of alleged 'secret' mobile phone to Jo... Read More Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Regan that his contact with certain individuals with knowledge of the deal was "highly improper". "Me being blocked out at a higher price than a lower price is improper," said Mr Regan. Mr Regan said legal letters sent to the joint estate agents handling the sale were not meant to "frighten" or "threaten" but his concern was that his bids were not getting to the trustees of the estate. Mr Hayden asked if any of the defendants or anyone from the Magnier side had at any point written to Mr Regan to say he should desist in his bidding and was told "no".
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Barne Estate ‘war' became ‘head-wrecking' amid legal threats from both sides, auctioneer tells High Court
An estate agent giving evidence in a 'war' between bloodstock billionaire John Magnier and construction magnate Maurice Regan over the prized Barne Estate has told the High Court that the stalled deal became 'head-wrecking' amid threats of legal action from both sides before the case eventually came to court. Mr Magnier wants the court to enforce a deal he claims he sealed with Richard Thomson-Moore with a €15 million handshake agreement for the 751-acre Tipperary estate on August 22nd, 2023, at Mr Magnier's Coolmore home. Mr Magnier is suing Mr Thomson-Moore and Barne Estate Ltd over the collapse of the purchase. The estate has been owned by the Thomson-Moore family for generations and is held in a trust. Auctioneer John Stokes, who handled the deal locally for Barne, denies a claim by the Magnier side that he said on the night he had said to Mr Magnier that they had a 'deal' after allegedly being in phone contact with the trustees for their approval after the €15 million offer. READ MORE Mr Stokes told Paul Gallagher SC, for the Magnier side, on Friday that he would have needed to have been 'psychic' to contact the trustees on the night for approval, as he did not have the phone number for any of the estate's trustees and did not suggest calling them as claimed. Mr Stokes told the court that when he and the Thomson-Moores returned to the negotiations after a conversation, he said the 'deal' was regarding the price only and that any deal was subject to 'contract or contract denial'. 'As I went to [Mr Magnier], I said the deal was subject to the trustees' approval,' he claimed. Mr Stokes said that Mr Magnier told the meeting that the €15 million was solely for the land and that he had no interest in the company. As part of the alleged deal, an exclusivity agreement was entered into for the month of September 2023, during which Mr Stokes said he received an 'unsolicited', higher offer from Mr Regan about which he was obliged to inform the trustees and the Thomson-Moores. Mr Stokes said he did not breach the exclusivity agreement regarding the offer and did not know how Mr Regan knew of the accepted Magnier offer being €15 million. Mr Stokes said Mr Regan quoted the price to him over the phone, but the information did not come from him. Mr Stokes told Martin Hayden SC, for Barne, he was given €50,000 in two brown envelopes on September 7th, 2023, which was intended for chief beneficiaries Mr Thomson-Moore and his sister, Alexandra, which he delivered. However, the money was returned a few days later. In evidence, Mr Magnier said it was not directly returned to him but Mr Stokes claimed it was because Mr Magnier told him that the €50,000 was apart from the deal, was for access to the land and that the Thomson-Moores were still welcome to it. Alexandra Thomson-Moore has described the row over the estate as 'full-on war' between Mr Magnier and Mr Regan and in her evidence today, likened it to a 'Sunday night TV drama' with 'everyone accusing everyone of everything'. Mr Stokes told the court on Friday that the deal was 'head-wrecking'. Mr Stokes said that he received letters from solicitors from Mr Regan's legal team complaining about the auctioneer's handling of the deal and threatening to report him to the regulator. This was rejected by Mr Stokes, who said he would always do his best by his clients and that the Thomson-Moores were his friends. Mr Magnier, in his evidence, has said that in early October 2023, he asked what was happening with any deal and was told by Mr Stokes: 'One word, John: Greed.' 'I did not say the word 'greed',' said Mr Stokes. Mr Stokes did not deny that after a phone call from crime journalist Paul Williams who allegedly said Mr Regan was considering injuncting the sale, he wrote a note saying 'the general consensus is that Regan is behaving like an absolute pig'. When Coolmore threatened legal action against Barne, Mr Stokes said that Mr Magnier said it was 'not where anyone wants to be' and that it would give him no pleasure to litigate the matter. Mr Stokes said that Mr Magnier told him he was 'at war, sorry' with Mr Regan and that the Thomson-Moores were 'caught up in it'. 'I suppose he [Mr Magnier] doesn't like getting gazumped,' said Mr Stokes. By the end of September, the decision had been made to let the exclusivity expire because of an increased offer of €20 million from Mr Regan. Mr Stokes said the offer was of 'life-changing money'. Mr Regan finally offered €22.25 million and was made the preferred bidder. Mr Regan is not a party to the case. The case continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Minnie Hauk's Irish Oaks success extends Aidan O'Brien's stunning Group One winning streak
Minnie Hauk's Juddmonte Irish Oaks success at the Curragh on Saturday means that Aidan O'Brien has saddled the winners of 33 per cent of Group One races run in Ireland, Britain and France so far this season. The remarkable tally of 11 top-flight contests before even halfway through the campaign puts the Irish trainer in contention to break his own world record haul of 28 Group/Grade One races in a single season set in 2017. One bookmaker makes O'Brien a 9-2 shot to do just that in what is fast turning into, even by his own stellar standards, a rare display of elite domination. Minnie Hauk was his seventh Classic victory in 2025. The 2-11 favourite became the 16th filly to complete the Epsom-Curragh Oaks double and is a 10-1 favourite for October's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. READ MORE Afterwards, the Coolmore brains trust led by supremo John Magnier debated the correct route to Longchamp for her, either through the Yorkshire Oaks next month or a test over the Arc course and distance in the Prix Vermeille in September. Both contests figure in the 46 top-class races still up for grabs in Europe's three major racing jurisdictions this season. With global options also expanding in the autumn, including at the Breeders' Cup, a new record tally could be on O'Brien's radar. What's certain is that his current mark is equal at the same point as during his momentous 2017 campaign and that the resources he has available to him are unparalleled. Over the weekend O'Brien revealed that his most exciting two-year-old Albert Einstein probably won't race again this season. There are also doubts about the future of the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria who may be retired. Despite that, if anything, his hold on this season's top races appears to be only tightening. He has indicated the Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel will renew Epsom rivalry with the top French horse Calandagan in this Saturday's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. That will allow him keep in reserve the dual-Derby hero Lambourn for a potential tilt at more Classic glory in September's St Leger at Doncaster rather than take on holder horses in British racing's midsummer highlight. 'At the moment I'd say Jan Brueghel is most likely to go to the King George, with Continuous. Lambourn is still on the boiling pot for it, but I don't think he'll be forced into it by any means, and he is a three-year-old,' O'Brien said. 'Jan Brueghel seems to be in very good form and everyone seems to be very happy with him. I'd imagine the lads might let him go there. 'That would mean Lambourn would have a couple of easy weeks and he might go to the Great Voltigeur, even though he's a Group One winner, and kind of set him up for the Leger. They haven't really decided yet, but reading between the lines that's what could happen,' he added. Almost immediately after the King George is the start of the Goodwood festival, where O'Brien horses are favourites for two of the three Group One contests up for grabs there. Illinois is odds-on for the Goodwood Cup, while the Pretty Polly heroine Whirl tops lists for the Nassau Stakes. In between, Henri Matisse is set to again take on his St James's Palace Stakes conqueror Field Of Gold. There are a handful of Group One prizes up for grabs in Deauville. One horse out of the King George equation is the King Edward VII Stakes winner Amiloc. He hasn't recovered from his Royal Ascot exertions in time to satisfy his trainer Ralph Beckett. 'It's a training decision and Ralph felt he could just do with a little bit more time having had a hard race at Royal Ascot,' said a spokesman for Amiloc's ownership. 'The real racing for this horse will be in the autumn time and Ralph thinks it's a little too quick after his last race. It's nothing more than that and nothing untoward.' Monday evening's domestic action in Ballinrobe is more ordinary fare, but the transformed handicapper Deuteronomy gets a shot at completing four wins in a row. Nicola Burns's mount keeps winning by half a length but has been upped 9lbs for winning at Limerick and has to overcome a wide draw.
Irish Times
19-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Secret' mobile phone provided to contact John Magnier's rival bidder for Barne Estate, court hears
Barne Estate heir Richard Thomson-Moore has been questioned in court over an alleged 'secret' phone offered to him by a third party so that he could contact, without trace, construction magnate Maurice Regan, a rival bidder to bloodstock billionaire John Magnier for the property. Mr Thomson-Moore told the court on Friday that, after an exclusivity agreement with the Magnier bid expired, he was in contact with Mr Regan on his personal phone anyway and did not understand the reason for the proffered new phone. Mr Magnier is suing Mr Thomson-Moore and Barne over the collapse of the purchase. The estate has been owned by the Thompson-Moore family for generations. Mr Magnier wants the court to enforce the deal he claims he sealed with Mr Thomson-Moore with a €15 million handshake agreement for the 751-acre estate on August 22nd, 2023, at Mr Magnier's Coolmore home. READ MORE The Magnier side has sued the Barne Estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd group, seeking to enforce the purported deal, which they say had been 'unequivocally' agreed. The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement, as they needed the consent of the trustees to finalise any deal. Mr Thomson-Moore has told the court that while a 'price' was agreed with Mr Magnier for Barne, a 'deal' was not. After agreeing on €15 million, Barne and the Magniers entered into an exclusivity agreement stipulating that Barne would not permit itself or its representatives to solicit or encourage any expression of interest, inquiry or offer on the property from anyone other than Mr Magnier between August 31st and September 30th, 2023. The trustees who hold the estate initially decided to remain loyal to the Magnier offer and felt a higher offer from Mr Regan could be seen as 'provocative'. After the exclusivity period had ended, the trustees decided to go with Mr Regan's offer of €22.25 million. Mr Regan is not a party to the case. [ Heir of Barne Estate 'shocked' by €50,000 'luck penny' offer from John Magnier Opens in new window ] At the High Court on Friday, Mr Thomson-Moore told Caren Geoghegan SC, for the Magnier side, that he found out the third party was allegedly in regular contact with Mr Regan about the deal only after document discovery prior to the case. Ms Geoghegan said it was her client's case that the third party had been updating Mr Regan on developments in the deal and she read out certain text messages to the court. Ms Geoghegan put it to the witness that the third party had offered Mr Thomson-Moore a 'secret', ready-to-go-phone so that Mr Thomson-Moore could contact Mr Regan without being traced. Mr Thomson Moore said he did not personally receive the phone but that the third party had placed it in his kitchen. Mr Thomson-Moore said he never touched or used the phone. Text messages read out by Ms Geoghegan allegedly showed Mr Regan sending a message to the third party saying 'I think we are in with a chance' and for the third party to keep him 'updated' and to have his 'ear to the ground'. Another message allegedly from the third party to Mr Regan said that the third party had spoken to Mr Thomson-Moore about local estate agent John Stokes, who was dealing with the sale. [ Magnier's Coolmore group branded 'professional bullies' by rival in bitter Barne Estate row Opens in new window ] Ms Geoghegan partially quoted an alleged text from the third party to Mr Regan, saying that Mr Thomson-Moore had allegedly told him: ''the more I think of things the more I think Stokes is a ... derogatory, disparaging word', she said. On September 20th, 2023, she submitted that the third party texted Mr Regan to say that Mr Thomson-Moore had told him, 'everybody thinks it's done but it is far from done'. Mr Thomson-Moore did not deny saying so. Mr Thomson-Moore said that his wife, Anna, had been frustrated by the trustees of Barne not considering one of Mr Regan's offers – of €20 million – and that the family were in discussion of how to let the exclusivity agreement expire in order to 're-set' their approach to the deal now worth 'life-changing money'. Ms Geoghegan submitted that the Thomson-Moores were 'using tax matters' to stall the Magnier deal. 'You can read it that way but we were very concerned about tax,' said Mr Thomson-Moore. The case continues at the High Court before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
BreakingNews.ie
18-07-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Court hears of alleged 'secret' mobile phone to John Magnier's rival bidder for Barne Estate
Barne Estate heir Richard Thomson-Moore has been questioned in court over an alleged "secret" phone offered to him by a third party so that he could contact without trace construction magnate Maurice Regan, a rival bidder to bloodstock billionaire John Magnier for the property. Mr Thompson-Moore told the court on Friday that after an exclusivity agreement with the Magnier bid expired he was in contact with Mr Regan on his personal phone anyway and did not understand the reason for the proffered new phone. Advertisement Mr Magnier is suing Mr Thomson-Moore and Barne over the collapse of the purchase. The estate has been owned by the Thomson-Moore family for generations. Mr Magnier wants the court to enforce the deal he claims he sealed with Mr Thomson-Moore with a €15 million handshake agreement for the 751-acre estate on August 22, 2023, at Mr Magnier's Coolmore home. The Magnier side has sued the Barne Estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd group, seeking to enforce the purported deal, which they say had been "unequivocally" agreed. The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement, as they needed the consent of the trustees to finalise any deal. Advertisement Mr Thomson-Moore has told the court that while a "price" was agreed with Mr Magnier for Barne, a "deal" was not. After agreeing on €15 million, Barne and the Magniers entered into an exclusivity agreement stipulating that Barne would not permit itself or its representatives to solicit or encourage any expression of interest, inquiry or offer on the property from anyone other than Mr Magnier between August 31st to September 30th, 2023. The trustees who hold the estate initially decided to remain loyal to the Magnier offer and felt Mr Regan's higher offer could be seen as "provocative". After the exclusivity period had ended, the trustees decided to go with Mr Regan's offer of €22.25 million. Mr Regan is not a party to the case. Advertisement At the High Court today, Mr Thomson-Moore told Caren Geoghegan SC, for the Magnier side, that he only found out the third party was allegedly in regular contact with Mr Regan about the deal after document discovery prior to the case. Ms Geoghegan said it was her client's case that the third party had been updating Mr Regan on developments in the deal, and she read out certain text messages to the court this morning. Ms Geoghegan put it to the witness that the third party had offered Mr Thomson-Moore a "secret", ready-to-go phone so that Mr Thomson-Moore could contact Mr Regan without being traced. Mr Thomson-Moore said that after the exclusivity clause with Coolmore had expired, he was in contact with Mr Regan on his personal phone anyway and did not understand the reason for the proffered new phone. Advertisement Mr Thomson Moore said he did not personally receive the phone but that the third party had placed it in his kitchen. Mr Thomson-Moore said he never touched or used the phone. Text messages read out by Ms Geoghegan allegedly showed Mr Regan sending a message to the third party saying: "I think we are in with a chance" and for the third party to keep him "updated" and to have his "ear to the ground". Another message allegedly from the third party to Mr Regan said that the third party had spoken to Mr Thomson-Moore about local estate agent John Stokes, who was dealing with the sale. Ms Geoghegan partially quoted an alleged text from the third party to Mr Regan, saying that Mr Thomson-Moore had allegedly told him "'the more I think of things the more I think Stokes is' .... a derogatory, disparaging word", she said. Advertisement On September 20th, 2023, she submitted that the third party texted Mr Regan to say that Mr Thomson-Moore had told him, "everybody thinks it's done but it is far from done". Mr Thomson-Moore did not deny saying so. Mr Thomson-Moore said that his wife, Anna, had been frustrated by the trustees of Barne not considering one of Mr Regan's offers - of €20 million - and that the family were in discussion of how to let the exclusivity agreement expire in order to "re-set" their approach to the deal now worth "life-changing money". Ms Geoghegan submitted that the Thomson-Moores were "using tax matters" to stall the Magnier deal. "You can read it that way, but we were very concerned about tax," said Mr Thomson-Moore. The case continues at the High Court before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
