Chad Lever has ridden his first winner since returning from serious head injuries suffered when he fell from his mount at Scone last year.

Lever celebrated a significant victory aboard the Chris Waller-trained gelding Auerbach in the opening race at Wyong, with the four-year-old gelding pipping Julie Magic by a nose in the card-opening Maiden Handicap (1600m).

The Port Augusta-born 37-year-old returned to racing at Port Kembla on Wednesday, a win in itself.

Lever sustained bruising on the brain, a fractured eye socket, lacerated forehead plus hand and shoulder injuries after he toppled from Anticipate on August 8.