New Canberra Mile Maid to Ore-der for Nick Olive

But there's one question mark hanging over his two runners' chances: just how good is Hungarian racing?

Olive has Maid Of Ore and Supreme Polarity running in the first edition of the $150,000 Canberra Mile (1600 metres) at Thoroughbred Park on Friday.

The first two runners home get automatic qualification for the listed Canberra Cup (2000m).

Olive's confident Maid Of Ore will make the Cup field regardless, but he'd obviously love the five-year-old mare to get there with a win under her belt.

But can she get past the obvious threat in the race?

The Matthew Smith-trained Esti Feny won a group 1 race in Hungary in 2018 and will make his Australian debut at Canberra.

It's anyone's guess how his Budapest form will compare.

"Probably the interesting one is the horse of Matthew Smith," Olive said.

"It's a group 1 winner from Hungary having its first start in Australia.

"That's probably the most intriguing runner. It's obviously got good form from Hungary, but where Hungary lines up with Australia who knows.

"It might just be too good for everyone, but you don't know."

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Regardless, Olive thinks Maid Of Ore will run a good race.

She's won four of her past six races and is coming off a last-start fourth at Wagga Wagga last week.

"I think she's going super. I think she'll run a terrific race. There's a few in there from Sydney that can go alright and couple of the locals too," Olive said.

"I think it's a pretty even race allround.

"The plan is to go to the Cup, but obviously one run at a time to see how she goes and go from there.

"But she'll probably go to the Cup anyway and I'll say she'll probably get a run too."

Olive's less bullish about Supreme Polarity's chances, although he said the six-year-old gelding is in career-best form.

He's had two wins and four places from his eight starts this preparation.

"He's up in grade, a big jump up in grade. He won the Federal the last meeting here in Canberra over 1400m and he's worth throwing him in," Olive said.

"He's racing the best form of his life so he'll run a cheeky race too."

The Canberra Mile forms part of revamped autumn for Thoroughbred Park.

They've split the Black Opal Stakes Day into a two-day carnival - with the Black Opal on March 8 and the Canberra Cup the following day.

Canberra Racing have also bolstered the Cup's preview race into a feature Mile, which has seen it attract $3.8 million in total prizemoney across the field of 14.

"It's a new race. It's all brand new, but it's great to have another feature race worth $150,000, it's good money," Olive said.

"Hopefully it grows over the years, but it'd be great to win the inaugural one that's for sure.

"Great prizemoney for our home track. It's always great to get our better horses a chance to race on the home track. Normally they can't."