Cheltenham protest chaos

The organisers of the Cheltenham Festival are facing a major security headache after learning that 18 separate groups of Manchester United fans are set to protest against John Magnier on Gold Cup day next month.

The plan is due to be implemented by United4Action, a protest group loyal to Sir Alex Ferguson, if Cheltenham bosses refuse the group's request to stage a protest at the track.

Informed of the organisation's plans, which reads like a military communique, Cheltenham MD Edward Gillespie admitted: 'This is scary stuff.'

Irish racing tycoon Magnier is in dispute with Ferguson and United4Action are planning to demonstrate at future meetings at which Magnier and JP McManus have runners.

United4Action, led by former stable groom Sean Murphy, released a statement to the Racing Post believing Gillespie had already refused them permission to demonstrate at Cheltenham, although this is not the case as he is still considering his response.

The statement talks of having '15 cells of fans strategically placed in the Tattersalls enclosure' and 'a further three cells in the Courage enclosure' who, 'at a given point' will be 'activated at two or more very specific points with the idea that this will cause immense embarrassment to Mr Magnier and Mr McManus'.

United4Action again underlines it does not intend breaking the law or disrupting racing, but says: 'We feel now that no matter what, this will go off and only time will tell how spectacular it will be.' Gillespie replied to the threat, saying: 'Whichever way we go, the situation will have to be managed If we were to turn them down, it becomes a security issue.'

The bitter row between Magnier, McManus and Ferguson is over the multi-million-pound stud rights to Rock Of Gibraltar and racing has already suffered one demonstration from anti-Magnier/McManus campaigners when a group called the Manchester Education Committee delayed events at Hereford last week.