Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
18 October 2004



Ashtead Group plc

18 October 2004

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                             Ordinary Shares of 10p

Ashtead Group plc announces it has been advised by The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
(GS Inc), that as at 14 October 2004 it was interested in a total of 16,764,086
(or 5.1%) of its shares comprising:
     
     a)   an interest in 6,299,700 shares arising from the interest held by 
          Goldman Sachs & Co., a direct subsidiary of GS Inc, acting as 
          custodian. These shares are, or will be, registered in the name of 
          Goldman Sachs Securities (Nominees) Limited ('GSSN').

     b)   an interest in 10,464,386 shares arising from a beneficial interest 
          held by Goldman Sachs International, a wholly-owned indirect 
          subsidiary of GS Inc.  These shares are, or will be registered at 
          CREST in account CREPTEMP.




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