Jerry McGrath

The 5-year-old gelding Crystal Island (Ire) (Crystal Ocean {GB}) (lot 29) topped Thursday's Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale when selling to JP McGrath Bloodstock for £205,000. He won on debut going three miles at Rathcannon and was consigned by Mossy Fen Stables. A €60,000 store purchase, his family features top-level winner J'Y Vole (Fr) (Mansonnien {Fr}). One of two lots to equal or clear the £200,000 mark, the point-to-pointer was joined at that tier by £200,000 buy The Irish Avatar (Ire) (Poet's Word {Ire}) (lot 7). The son of graded winner...

Minella Premier (Ire) (Shantou) (lot 498) topped the first day of the Goffs UK Spring HIT/PTP Sale at Doncaster on Wednesday. Consigned by Minella Racing, the 4-year-old gelding went to Jerry McGrath and Nicky Henderson for £400,000. Related to Grade 2 chase winner Function Dream (Ire) (Strong Gale {Ire}), he won his debut at Ballindenisk by 12 lengths. Another to break £200,000 was Dawn Miss (Ire) (Malinas {Ger}) (lot 486), who sold to Laura Morgan for £220,000. The Monbeg Stables graduate, a full to Listed December H. Hurdle winner Booster...

Jerry McGrath has been named the new Goffs UK Bloodstock Manager. Formerly a jumps jockey before his career ended in a fall at Lingfield a year ago, he will begin his role on Feb. 7. During his riding days, he was part of Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows team since 2008, and won over 200 races total, including a pair at the Cheltenham Festival. During the summer months, McGrath worked with Clive Cox and was part of the team that selected Group 1 winner Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at the Goffs...