The Queanbeyan trainer was happy with drawing barrier 1 for his six-year-old gelding, with it suiting his plans to have him ridden further forward in the 1600-metre feature race at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day.

Ready To Humble earned his spot in the Big Dance after winning the Snake Gully Cup (1400m) last year.

Olive said he'd gotten back too far in both his runs in Sydney this preparation, finishing sixth and seventh.

"They've been even runs. He probably got back too far in both races, but he got home nicely," Olive said.

"Obviously a big step up in class, but he's fit and well and he'll run up to his best.

"The Big Dance, I don't think you can be realistically thinking you can win it, but you qualify for it you've got to have a throw at it - it's a $2 million race.

"We plan to ride him a little bit more forward this time so I think it is a good barrier, for sure - as long as the fence is not quicksand it'll be a good place."

Ready To Humble's a $101 long shot, so was the Canberra-trained One Aye - from the Joseph Jones stable - with Hosier the $5 favourite according to bet365.

Olive felt it was an open race with Hosier, Surf Dancer ($6), Bandersnatch ($10) and Quality Time ($10) the leading chances.

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He also has Invincible Dash as the second emergency for the Little Dance (1600m).

Olive was hoping he'd be able to sneak into the field of the $500,000 race by Tuesday.

"I knew we were going to be close [to making the field] so we just need two scratchings out of either race and we'll get a run because if something scratches out of the Big Dance they take one out of the Little Dance and put it in that," he said.

"We just need two of the 40 to scratch."

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