The man who ended TJ Smith's 33-year premiership reign in Sydney was back in the winner's circle for the first time in more than three years in country Victoria on Tuesday.

Brian Mayfield-Smith retired for the second time in late 2009 but found it hard to stay away and less than two years later decided to dabble in training again with a couple of horses.

Henny Hoo's victory in a Seymour maiden on Tuesday was Mayfield-Smith's first winner since November 2009.

He has had just 10 starters since his return to the sport in the middle of 2011.

The Seymour win was a satisfying moment Mayfield-Smith who is famous for ending the late TJ Smith's run of 33 straight Sydney premierships in the 1985-86 season.

It was the first of three premierships for Mayfield-Smith.

"It was only a maiden but there was a bit hingeing on it for me. I have been mucking around for two years now, backwards and forward to the track here (at Seymour)," Mayfield-Smith told TVN.

"To get a winner, it really picks you up."

Mayfield-Smith began his career in far North Queensland but rose to the top in Sydney with his premiership successes in the 1980s.

In the mid 1990s he retired and moved to Africa to work as a wildlife conservationist but returned a couple of years later and started training again in Melbourne.

"The problem with me is I never know when to give up," Mayfield-Smith said.

"That's probably the problem for me, I should know when to walk away but I just love being involved and I'm a horse trainer so I have got to do that."

Mayfield-Smith still harbours the dream of winning Australia's most famous race, the Melbourne Cup.

He came close with Maybe Better who was third in 2006 behind Japanese pair Delta Blues and Pop Rock.

"I don't know how it's going to happen but the dream is still alive," he said.

"You can always dream and that's what this game is all about."