Owner-breeder Louise Nutman has been a great supporter of the Joe Pride stable and that loyalty paid dividends again when Title won the LR Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford on Friday.

Title (4g Honours List – Claudia by Al Jaasi) cruised up to odds-on favourite Squamosa in the straight and forged clear to score by two lengths from Jest Crewsin’ (Brahms) and Motspur (Flying Spur).

”He sat three wide without cover to win,” Pride said.  “It was a big effort but he’s a tough seasoned horse.”

Nutman runs a thriving veterinary practice at the foot of the Blue Mountains and she provided Pride with a couple of key winners early on in his career.

Pride was foreman for John Size before the Randwick trainer headed to Hong Kong a decade ago.  Nutman kept her homebred mare Alanis (Mister C) in the yard and she gave the rookie his first city winner at Canterbury in August 2001.

Title is their best to date winning 7 races and over $375,000 in prizemoney.  ”I didn’t picture him winning a race like this when he first arrived at Warwick Farm,” Pride said at Gosford.  “He’s loaded with ability but was very raw early on.”

Title completed a winning hat-trick in October and November, however, he didn’t come up during a short campaign in March.  ”We sent him out to Louise’s place to freshen up and it did the trick.  I will see how he pulls up before deciding whether to back up in the Civic Stakes next weekend.”

The Takeover Target winner is by Honours List (Danehill) who was euthanized in France earlier this year.  He shuttled to Widden Stud and Hollylodge Thoroughbreds and the best of his southern bred gallopers has been G1 Doncaster Handicap winner Triple Honour.

Title’s dam Claudia has been a hit-and-miss breeder for Nutman since retiring to stud in 2001.  She foaled Mister C winner Dorsett first-up but Title has been her only other winner.  She wasn’t covered for three seasons after Title and has missed to Excites and Onemorenomore for the last two years.