FARINGDON trainer Sean Curran had his biggest pay day so far in his short training career when he saddled 11-1 shot Iris de Balme to win the £16,000 Kent National Handicap Chase at Folkestone in midweek.

The horse is owned by Lee Power, the former Norwich, Portsmouth and Sunderland striker, and ex-Cambridge United chairman.

Power is still connected with football thanks to his marketing company Create, which produces programmes for Celtic, Rangers and Chelsea among others.

He has been backing the training career of Curran, who returned to the saddle at Taunton this week after suffering a broken collarbone.

Power said: "Sean is a real grafter. I had the opportunity to help him financially and I'm very pleased, it was the yard's biggest success. Former jockey Richard Dunwoody got me involved in racing five or six years ago and I really enjoy it."

The horse was ridden by Mattie Batchelor, who rides out at the Curran yard at Hatford a couple of times a week.

It was all go for the trainer the following day. After finishing fourth at Taunton on his first ride back from injury he had to dash up the motorway to saddle Rebellious Spirit at Kempton's evening meeting who duly won the one mile two furlong handicap, his second victory in a week, at 6-1.

Curran told the Advertiser: "The trip of three miles seven furlongs was the key to Iris de Balme and he could be heading for the Midland or Scottish National, depending on the ground.

"It's great how things are going at the moment. The all-weather winner Rebellious Spirit was running for the yard for the first time at the weekend and won, so we put him in again at Kempton before the handicapper got at him and he won again. I think that's about 14 or 15 winners so far and hopefully the good run will continue."