Pure Logic to help out

PURE LOGIC, out of the money only twice in a dozen starts, can help punters out at a decent price when he lines up in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap on the Greyville turf today.

It is a race where nothing is cut-anddried with the ante-post favourite on offer at 5-2 but Pure Logic has that come-on look about him and off bottom weight, if not winning, should at least give a good account of himself.

His jockey, Jarred Samuel, is a hardworking and useful light-weight rider who makes the most of every bone that’s he’s thrown although there were a few grumpy punters last Friday with Blue Jasmin arriving at 55-1.

“I knew she had improved in blinkers, but not by that much,” he laughed while being ragged by his colleagues yesterday.

Pure Logic will not start at those odds but the result could be the same although Dean Kannemeyer’s other runner, One Man Show, bidding for a winning hat-trick, is likely to be the more fancied of the pair.

Pure Logic has been lightly raced this year, this being only his fifth start and his fourth after quite a lengthy break and gelding.

He was beaten a long way by One Man Show at Scottsville back in September but followed up with a much better effort behind Viento when back on the poly.

He’s returns to the turf today, has a light weight over his optimum trip and could have the measure of his more fancied rivals.

The dangers are many but Liquid Rainbow has not been out of the first two in his last five starts and can follow up on his narrow win on the poly when tried in blinkers for the first time. He goes equally well on the turf and with a handy weight should be competitive again.

One Man Show

Of the others, One Man Show has been racing over further, Saint Marco Goes the trip for the first time, Chrome Blue comes off a lengthy break leaving Roy Had Enough who should come on from his recent pipe-opener and will be more competitive over this trip.

In the opening leg of the PS, Kinsky’s Crusade may just have been short of peak fitness when returning from a break on the quick poly surface and can make amends in the second.

Corrine Bestel’s filly had shown promise in a couple of competitive maiden fields before that and from a good draw and back on the turf looks the part.

If there is to be an upset it could come in the form of Dunzie who made an eyecatching debut for Duncan Howells and should come on lengths from that opening effort.

Blaze Of Gold has the worst of the draw in the first leg of the Pick 6 but has improved with every outing and should be good enough to beat home some well exposed older horses that include Asian Star and Mighty Mississippi, his most likely danger being Volcanic Sunset from the Sean Tarry yard.

Alraune has put in two smart efforts since arriving in KZN, first in a million rand feature and then a close-up second to the well-regarded Lady Val last time out. Barring a springer amongst the first timers, Gavin van Zyl’s filly looks a safe PA banker in the fourth.

Mark Dixon is never one to rush his charges and it pays dividends more often than not.

The Dixon-trained She’s A Dream was a late starter but won well at second time of asking last month and can follow up in the fifth.

Chamber Maid

Chamber Maid looks the most obvious danger but if this pair does not run up to expectations then things get difficult as there should be very little separating Just Rap, Noodle and Princess Analia while River Ayre pulled up lame last start but had more than useful form before that.

Zen Arcade was deemed good enough by Louis Goosen to make the trip to Turffontein this weekend for the Graham Beck Stakes so Ryker, a closeup second to Zen Arcade last time out, will have plenty of supporters in the sixth.