Full coverage: John Magnier

The hereditary owners of the 751-acre estate in the Golden Vale delayed finalising a contract with Coolmore boss John Magnier and sought to "wriggle out" of an exclusivity agreement with the bloodstock billionaire, the court has heard.

Richard Thomson-Moore, the hereditary heir of the Barne Estate, said he shook on a "price", not a deal, for the 751-acre property with the Coolmore boss John Magnier.

Anna Thomson-Moore has given evidence of borrowing to fund the litigation and how, with two young kids in a small community with press focus, the Coolmore proceedings have felt like an "onslaught".

The Barne Estate is at the centre of an ongoing legal battle between John Magnier and its historic owners. The billionaire has questioned how the family who are the beneficial owners of the estate have been able to fund their defence. This is how.

Eddie Irwin is the man bloodstock magnate John Magnier calls upon when things go wrong, the court heard. On Friday, the financial advisor charted his attempts to push forward the Barne transaction in August and September 2023.

The court has been hearing from the Coolmore accountant who worked on the Barne transaction, the "rumours and innuendo" around Maurice Regan's rival bid and "outrageous" claims about "head nodding" at a witness.

The Currency examines US-based construction magnate Maurice Regan’s landbank in the Premier County as he butts up against John Magnier’s Coolmore empire – along with their rivalry's perceived knock-on impact on land prices.

John Paul Magnier was quizzed in the High Court this afternoon about €50,000 passed to the Barne Estate owners which their counsel claims was to “keep them sweet” on his father's €15m bid for the property.

Joe Fitzpatrick, a solicitor handling the Barne Estate deal for Coolmore, told the High Court he understood a contract to sell to John Magnier was nearly “ready to go” in late August 2023 before the vendors went cold.

The court heard that the difficult phone call spurred John Magnier to drive immediately to the Barne Estate to push for an exclusivity agreement to block out other bids.