Pencarrow five-year-old Sunset Boulevard (NZ) (Eminent) made a stylish return to racing with a first-up victory in the $40,000 Otaki Tyre Repairs Handicap (1600m) at Otaki on Friday.

Trained by Kevin Myers for owner-breeder Sir Peter Vela, Sunset Boulevard has now had 15 starts for five wins, three placings and $99,705 in prize-money.

Sunset Boulevard rose through the grades with three wins from 11 races last season, culminating in a Rating 75 victory over 2100 metres at Waverley on April 21. Friday’s Rating 75 was his first appearance since then, and he picked up right where he left off.

Apprentice jockey Jack Taplin allowed Sunset Boulevard to stride forward and take up a handy position in third by the turn out of the back straight.

The field bunched right up coming down the side of the track, but Sunset Boulevard was moving smoothly and warming into his work as he loomed on the outside of the leaders coming around the home turn.

In an energy-sapping slog down the straight in Heavy10 ground, Sunset Boulevard slowly but surely got the better of Sandoku (NZ) (Eminent) and snatched victory by a long head. That pair drew right out to fight out the finish, with the third-placed Subtle Tease (NZ) (Nadeem) finishing another four and three-quarter lengths behind them.

Sunset Boulevard is by Sir Peter Vela’s multiple Group winner and Group One placegetter Eminent, who stands at Brighthill Farm. Eminent sired the quinella on Friday with Sunset Boulevard and the second-placed Sandoku.

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 two named foals out of North of Sunset, who has also been represented by six-race winner Palm Springs (NZ) (Super Easy).