Michelle Payne has finished third in her first race since suffering serious head injuries in a fall last year.

Payne rode Fieldmaster for her trainer brother Patrick in the Summer Cup (2100m) in Hobart on Sunday.

Fieldmaster was the $2.90 favourite but daring front running tactics by Jason Maskiell on The Cleaner ($3.60) gave him an all-the-way victory.

Mornington Cup winner Norsqui ($36) finished a half length second with Fieldmaster rallying for third, another 1-1/2 lengths away.

Payne suffered a bad concussion in a fall at Ararat in September . She had only recently recovered from a fall in May which left her with five fractured vertebrae and several broken ribs.

A previous history of concussion meant Payne had to undergo stringent brain tests before she was cleared to ride following her most recent fall.

The winner of three Group One races on Yosei and one on Allez Suez, Payne has indicated she is close to retirement but wants to go out on her own terms.

She has been helping her brother prepare Fieldmaster for the Tasmanian summer staying races with the Summer Cup a forerunner to next month's Hobart and Launceston Cups.