Part-owner, trainer and driver Mark Purdon drove Jack Cade in aggressive fashion in the 1950 metre mobile event charging out of the mobile gate to wrestle the lead off Jagged Account during a blistering opening 400 metres in 26.9 seconds.

Jack Cade was able to slow the tempo of the race and clinched the Group One victory with slick closing 800 metre and 400 metre sectionals of 56.2 seconds and 28.1 seconds to win by a ½ length over Jagged Account.

A further two lengths away in third position was the gallant Elsu, who worked around the field with a lap to run to pressure the winner.

The victory has most probably clinched a start for Jack Cade in the $600,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile at Harold Park, Sydney on November 28.

Officials of the New South Wales Harness Racing Club have already invited Just An Excuse, The Falcon Strike and Double Identity to contest the magical sprint feature.

“I’ve spoken with officials of the New South Wales Harness Racing Club and they were interested in Jack Cade so hopefully this win will clinch his invitation into the Miracle Mile.

“I think he’d be the ideal type of horse to contest a Miracle Mile as he does have gate speed and he can be driven with a sit or can rough it if need be.

“He was pacing very strongly in the lead today and although Jagged Account did sprint sharply at us along the passing lane we had him well covered at the finish.”

Purdon has had three previous runners in the Miracle Mile—Il Vicolo (twice) and Young Rufus—and believes Jake Cade is capable of winning the leading sprint feature in Australasia.

“I’ve had two second placings with Il Vicolo and a fourth placing with Young Rufus and this horse is a very good winning chance although the barrier draw will have a big impact of driving tactics.”

Purdon will bypass the Victoria Cup with Jack Cade and bring the 5-Year-Old back to New Zealand to contest the Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park on December 31.

Stablemate Young Rufus finished in ninth position in the Lindauer Free-For-All after breaking during the opening 200 metres of the race.

Tony Herlihy, the driver of Young Rufus, did confirm that the showy 6-Year-Old entire was tightened for pacing room along the pylons during the opening stages of the race.

“We got squeezed up and he broke. Unfortunately this type of thing can happen in harness racing and of all the races for it to happen in it had to be a big race like this.” said Herlihy.

Young Rufus will most probably bypass the Miracle Mile and Purdon has set his sights on another attempt on the Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley in Melbourne in December with the 6-Year-Old.

Young Rufus brilliantly won the Victoria Cup earlier this year.

Jack Cade has scored 15 wins and 11 minor placings from 28 starts in a career that has been ruined by injury problems.

Earlier this year Purdon lost the services of both Jack Cade and Young Rufus for the 2003 Inter Dominion Pacing Series in Christchurch.

Jack Cade broke down two weeks before the series began and Young Rufus nearly died of a twisted bowel on the opening day of the series.