Godolphin trio in search of a ninth Australian G1 for the season at Eagle Farm

One horse has the form, another has the class and yet another carries a mixture of both into Saturday’s G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm.

Trekking, Encryption and Home Of The Brave all have strong claims in a race in which victory would give Godolphin’s Australian team its ninth G1 success for the season.

In a race in which he entered six horses, trainer James Cummings narrowed his prospects down to a trio of runners who each have sound credentials and should handle all track and weather options.

With wins at his past two starts, including the high-quality G3 Hall Mark Stakes, Trekking (Kerrin McEvoy) appeals as the dry-track, form horse.

“He’s really building a great record and his last two wins are a great credit to him,” Cummings said.

“If the track stays relatively dry he’ll be well-suited. From his last seven run on good tracks he’s won six,” Cummings said.

Victory for the three-year-old colt Encryption (Corey Brown), a son of Godolphin's outstanding G1 performer Guelph, would set him up for a stud career and Cummings has long had this G1 contest in mind for the colt.

“We’ve been waiting for this race, he’s had a month between runs, he’s trained well and had a couple of nice pipe openers at the trials,” he said.

“He’s been burning along nicely at home, showing his appreciation for the patient approach we’ve taken with him since his last run.”

“He’s ready for the step up to 1,300m and he’s ready to run well.”

Encryption is yet to win in this current preparation but showed he was up to G1 level when second in the Oakleigh Plate in Melbourne in February and two runs back was fourth to Nature Strip in the G1 Galaxy at Rosehill.

Home Of The Brave (Tommy Berry) has claims on several fronts. He is a G3 winner at this trip, he handles all tracks, although he’s most at home on soft ground, and he also ran well when first-up in the high-quality Hall Mark Stakes.

“Home of the Brave is entitled to enjoy the 1,300m more than the 1,200m first up, as he showed last preparation when he won the Theo Marks at Rosehill."

“He ran in the Hall Mark Stakes first-up and that’s a race that has produced some very good form.”