Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
15 July 2005



Ashtead Group plc

15th July 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 11th July 2005 it was interested in a total of
27,589,382 (or 8.46%) of its shares comprising:


     a)  an interest in 9,298,700 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 18,290,682 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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