Allan Denham has returned to his old stomping ground to lift a Group Three win with Alberto Magic at Rosehill.

Denham and his late father Jack trained alongside each other at the track for years, producing Group One winners including Eremein and Filante.

Jack Denham died in 2009 and in early 2012 his son moved his training base to Wyong where he manages a team of around 20.

Alberto Magic, the winner of seven of his 11 starts, is the undoubted star and he lived up to his $3.10 favouritism in Saturday's Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).

"He's not a big horse and it's hard for him to carry weight," Denham said.

"He got into this race well under the conditions of the race.

"It's his first time in stakes company. He's really a Class Six horse in a Group Three."

Alberto Magic fought off the race leader Angel Beach ($4.60) to win by a short head with Bachman ($6) making ground late to finish another 1-1/4 lengths third.

Third favourite Craftiness ($4.80) weakened after tracking Angels Beach to finish last of the 10 runners with his jockey Corey Brown saying he was disappointing.