Almost four years and three operations since his last victory, Mic Mac made it back to the first placegetter's stall at Rosehill as the winner of the Listed Civic Stakes.

Under confident riding from Christian Reith, Mic Mac ($16) strode to the front early and kept favourite Under The Sun ($3.90) at bay by a length, showing no discomfort under his 59kg topweight.

The Paul Messara-trained seven-year-old's problems have been a quartered hoof, an eye injury and a broken canon bone.

He did his early racing under Victorian trainer Greg Eurell, performing at the highest level and winning the 2009 Hobartville and Memsie Stakes.

In the intervening years, Mic Mac had been twice sidelined for more than a year to recover from his injuries.

Foreman Barry Wintle stood in for Scone trainer Paul Messara at Rosehill and said the win was an emotional one for the stable.

"It was a huge effort," Wintle said.

"It stirs up the emotions after what he's been through.

"Christian took the race by the scruff of the neck and that was the key."

Reith, who was aboard Mic Mac when he broke his canon bone in the 2012 Galaxy, said he was thrilled with the result.

"It was good to see him back," he said.

"He felt fantastic and was never going to get beaten."