Trainer Darren Bell has been swamped with well wishers after claiming his first metropolitan Saturday win since returning from the most trying four months of his life.

The Bell-trained Misery ($6) held on to score by a short neck to the heavily backed Live Fast ($31 into $14) in Saturday's Class Six Hcp (1000m) at Doomben.

It was Bell's third overall winner since he came back from having his stables closed by a strangles outbreak in December.

"Only a couple of my 22 horses had strangles but they closed the whole stables. It was a financial disaster and the last few months have been very trying," Bell said.

"I think it could have been handled better. My stables are at Caboolture but imagine what would happen if there was a strangles outbreak at Eagle Farm."

Bell was given the all-clear to begin training again in late February but had to wait to get his horses back to fitness.

"It has been an incredibly long wait but I am glad we have been able to come back getting winners," he said.

"At one stage I feared I might not come back at all."

Misery has been a good money spinner for Bell with five wins from his seven starts and he is unbeaten at three runs at 1000m.

Apprentice Tiffani Brooker scored her 34th winner of the season to be 10 clear of Lani Fancourt in the junior riders premiership.

"Misery is one of those horses which never stops trying and he showed it again today," she said.