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Track conditions will determine the chances of Godolphin’s three runners in the $700,000 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday according to trainer James Cummings.

A firm running Eagle Farm surface will favor Encryption and Trekking while Cummings would prefer some give in the ground for the imported sprinter Home Of The Brave.

Cummings is aiming for a second successive win in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) after taking out last year’s event with Impending when the race was run over 1350m at Doomben on a soft 6 surface.

His three runners give him a golden opportunity to increase his tally of Group One wins for the season to eight, a fine achievement in a season when Chris Waller’s huge haul of 17 G1 wins has equalled the Australian training record for major wins in a season set by Tommy Smith in 1979-80.

Cummings said he is hoping rain arrives in Brisbane to enhance the prospects of Home Of The Brave.

“There’s a threat of rain and if it came his chances would be enhanced,” Cummings said.

“He ran in the Hall Mark Stakes first-up and that has become a very good form race.

“Home of the Brave will enjoy the 1300m more than the 1200m first-up, as he showed last preparation when he won the Theo Marks at Rosehill.”

Home Of The Brave has raced only four times in Australia for mixed results on dry and rain-affected surfaces.

He has finished unplaced in his last two starts on good tracks in the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in the spring and his most recent outing in the G3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) when resuming at Randwick on April 20 after leading to the 300m.

However the seven-year-old’s first two Australian starts early in the season saw him finish second in the G3 Aurie’s Star (1200m) at Flemington on soft ground before winning the G2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on a Heavy 8.

Home Of The Brave (Tommy Berry) has since pleased Cummings with a second in a Rosehill trial on a good surface but the trainer would obviously prefer soft conditions for the sprinter at Eagle Farm.

He has the bases well covered as the in-form Trekking and luckless G1 performer Encryption are both at their best on top of the ground.

Trekking (Kerrin McEvoy) is facing his biggest test with the step up to G1 company under weight-for-age conditions after impressive wins at his last two starts at Randwick and Scone on his favoured firm tracks.

H recorded his first black type success at his last start in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone carrying 59kg and had his Kingsford Smith chances boosted by drawing the rails barrier compared to the Home Of The Brave’s wide draw in gate 17.

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

“From his last seven runs on good tracks he’s won six and there’s some very good performers among the horses he’s beaten.”

Encryption (Corey Brown) is striving to become the fourth 3YO and first in six years to win the Kingsford Smith Cup since the race was introduced as a wfa event in 2008. The last of the age group to be successful was Your Song in 2013.

The Lonhro colt has been a luckless runner in G1 races since he won the G2 Danehill Stakes against his own age at Flemington in September, his efforts including a second in the Oakleigh Plate, fourth in the Galaxy and fifth in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Cummings has freshened the colt with two barrier trials since his last start fourth in the G2 Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on April 13 when he was disadvantaged by a soft 5 surface.

He also has drawn well in gate four, a barrier that should see him enjoy a soft midfield run behind a fast clip.

“Encryption has been burning along, showing his appreciation for the patient approach we’ve taken with him since his last run,” Cummings said.

“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’s ready to run well - every run he’s had this prep has had merit.”

Chris Waller has two chances to break Tommy Smith’s record for the most G1 wins in a season with the three-year-old Ringerdingding and accomplished G1-winning mare Prompt Response representing his stable.

Prompt Response (Robbie Fradd) won last year’s G1 Tatts Tiara in Brisbane when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. She will be having her fourth start for Waller after joining his stable early this year.

Sandown Guineas winner Ringerdingding, a former member of the Darren Weir stable, has been freshened since he won the G3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) for Waller at Randwick on April 6.

James McDonald rode Home Of The Brave at his latest start in the Hall Mark Stakes but has preferred the Rinerdingding mount after riding the 3YO in a recent trial at Rosehill where he finished an easy second.

McDonald is facing a busy weekend as he flies to Hong Kong after Saturday’s meeting to ride Glorious Forever in the G1 Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.