A breakthrough season for Pencarrow’s Sunset Boulevard (NZ) (Eminent) continued on Sunday with his third consecutive win, this time in the $40,000 Recreation Hotel Greymouth Cup (2000m).

After beginning the season with four wins to his name from a 14-race career, the gelding has added another four victories from only six starts as a five-year-old.

Sunset Boulevard played a starring role during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November, winning the $65,000 Road Metals Premier (2000m) on the first Saturday and the $65,000 Wuhan Jockey Club Premier (2000m) on the middle day.

His rising rating earned him a 60-kilogram topweight for the Greymouth Cup on Sunday, but trainer Kevin Myers made use of apprentice jockey Floor Moerman’s three-kilogram claim.

Moerman had Sunset Boulevard handily positioned in third, then allowed him to stride forward and take a clear lead down the back straight.

Sunset Boulevard was joined before the home turn by his stablemate Kick On (NZ) (Per Incanto), and they drew 12 lengths clear of the rest of the field and fought a two-horse war to the finish. Sunset Boulevard came out on top by a short head.

“They both kicked clear and I was pretty confident at the 600 when they had the rest of them off the bit,” stable representative Luke Myers said.

“Kick On went a really good race at Wellington last start and we thought he could almost pop Sunset Boulevard today, and he almost did, but Sunset’s class just got him through today.”

Sunset Boulevard has now had total of 20 starts for eight wins, four placings and $202,055 in stakes.

Sunset Boulevard was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela. He is a son of Sir Peter’s multiple Group winner and Group One placegetter Eminent, who stands at Brighthill Farm.

Eminent carried Sir Peter’s blue and white hooped colours to victory in the Group Two Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (2000m) and Group Three Craven Stakes (1600m), along with placings in the Group One Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and Irish Champion Stakes (2000m). Eminent is the sire of 39 winners from 90 runners.

The dam of Sunset Boulevard is North of Sunset (NZ) (Red Ransom), who is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group One-placed Pencarrow mare Wildflower (NZ) (Keeper). North of Sunset is also a blood-sister to the Group Three winner and black-type producer Amaryllis (NZ) (Red Ransom), while her dam Zygadene (NZ) (Zabeel) is a blood-sister to the dam of multiple Australian Group One winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo).

Sunset Boulevard’s fourth dam is the multiple Group One winner and prolific broodmare Habibti (Habitat), a half-sister to the legendary Eight Carat (Pieces of Eight).

Sunset Boulevard is one of two winners from three named foals out of North of Sunset, who has also been represented by six-race winner Palm Springs (NZ) (Super Easy). The three-year-old Don’t Tell The Mrs (NZ) (Vadamos) has had five starts for two thirds, a fourth and a fifth.