Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
05 May 2005








Ashtead Group plc

5th May 2005

                               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 29th April 2005 it was interested in a total of 29,140,460
(or 8.93%) of its shares comprising:

a)      an interest in 7,898,700 shares arising from the interest held by
Goldman Sachs & Co., a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of GS Inc, acting as
custodian. These shares are, or will be, registered in the name of Goldman Sachs
Securities (Nominees) Limited;

b)      an interest in 21,241,760 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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