Morphettville trainer Andrew Gluyas has a strong contender for Monday’s Morphettville Guineas after Dirty Old Town beat stablemate Freedom Flame in a thrilling finish to last Saturday’s benchmark 72 for three-year-olds over 1400 metres on the Parks track at Morphettville.
Dirty Old Town came from a midfield rails position under Jason Holder to defeat Freedom Flame, ridden by apprentice Taylor Johnstone. The Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray-trained gelding Bootlegger completed a blanket finish.
Dirty Old Town will back up in the listed 1600 metre Morphettville Guineas on the Adelaide Cup card this Monday.
She has now won three races (in a row) from six starts while Freedom Flame has had nine starts for one win, in last spring’s listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m).
Dirty Old Town is a daughter of former Group 2-winning sprinter Dirty Work, but won at his only 1600-metre start, so the Guineas distance shouldn’t be a problem.
Chica impresses
Dual-state trainer Phillip Stokes unveiled another promising two-year-old when Toronado filly Chica Astuta ($4.80) made a winning debut in the Thomas Farms Two-Year-Old Plate (1000m) at the Parks meeting.
Stokes’s juvenile team is led by Group 2 Silver Slipper winner Stretan Ruler, one of the favourites for the Golden Slipper on March 21.
Chica Astuta, who came from the middle of the six-horse field to win by 1½ lengths under Jacob Opperman, is a sister to three-time Sydney-winning sprinter Spanish Fox.
Bryce breaks ice
Murray Bridge trainer Hannah Bryce celebrated her first win when Acappella Moon ($5) took out a 1250-metre Class 2 handicap on the Parks track. 
Guided to victory by Connor Murtagh, Acappella Moon came from midfield to score a strong win. It was the mare’s fifth run for Bryce, and followed second placings at Murray Bridge and Morphettville Parks.
She won two of 16 starts in the care of three Victorian stables before arriving at the Bridge.
’Man swoops to glory
Port Augusta trainer Kylie McKerlie was the toast of the Eyre Peninsula last Friday after her charge Excelman ($11) won the Port Lincoln Cup (1960m).
Bringing up a double for apprentice Tala Hutchinson, Excelman was last into the straight but came with a wide run to grab the Shayne and Chelsea Cahill-trained Just A Brother in the shadows of the post, with favourite Tyusix third.
Hutchinson landed the first leg of her double when the Garret Lynch-trained Explicable ($3.60 favourite) took out a benchmark 54 over 1750 metres.
Lynch completed a double of his own when Sairyn Fawke scored on Olive Baguette ($4.60) in 0-66 grade over 1200 metres. 
That made it a double for Fawke too, as he’d earlier won The Marina Hotel Benchmark 54 Handicap (1750m) on Muffla ($12) for Gawler’s Michael McClean.
Multi-tasker
Full marks to Racing.com form analyst John Kelton for calling the second race at Morphettville from a TV monitor. A fire alarm prevented caller Tim Edwards from being heard over the course PA.
Vale, Brian Searle
It was sad to hear of the death late last week of trainer Brian Searle. Searle’s best winner was Turkey Lane in the 1998 Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank.

Doudle doubles up
Travis Doudle took the points with a double at Balaklava on Wednesday, winning with Theodor ($4.60) in a 2200-metre Class 1 plate and Santasia ($5) in a Class 1 handicap over 1050 metres. Campbell Rawiller and Andrew Stead were the winning riders.
After a long layoff because of injury it was good to see Dom Tourneur back in the winner’s circle at Balaklava when the Kristi Evans-trained One Whim ($51) took out a 1050-metre maiden.
The Balaklava meeting also saw jockey Jackson Murphy notch his first SA win since moving from Queensland, on the Stephen Theodore-trained Flying Brant ($3.30) in a 1400-metre maiden.
It was the 375th winner overall for Murphy, who kicked off his career with a double at Wauchope (NSW) on Boxing Day 2015.