Trainer Robbie Griffiths reckons his filly Zarpoya is overdue for better luck after drawing wide barriers at her last two starts at Caulfield.

Zarpoya overcame an outside gate to win the Keno Kwikpik Hcp (1100m) on June 30 but another bad barrier contributed to a five-length loss on Saturday.

“We were a bit worried about the barrier last month but Dwayne Dunn gave her a good run,” Griffiths said. “She had no favours from the gate but she was tough and really dug deep late.”

It was a distinctly different sequel when she was forced to tramp three-wide without cover in the Ladbrokes Hcp (1200m) on Saturday. Apprentice Nathan Punch told stewards she over-raced and the course vet reported the hard run meant she had a slow recovery rate.

Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) and Griffiths bought Zarpoya for $46,000 at the 2016 Gold Coast Magic Millions. Her owners include Australian Trainers Association CEO Andrew Nicholl, retired race caller Greg Miles and the trainer’s wife Shiranee.

“She is raced by a good group of people who have been stable supporters for a long time,” Griffiths said. “And she has given us a lot of joy.”

Zarpoya is beautifully bred and earned black-type on debut when placed in the LR Merson-Cooper Stakes at Sandown. Bred and sold by Woodside Park, she is by Darley sire Sepoy from Zarzuela (Rock Of Zarzuela), an Irish-bred half-sister to G1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Glass Harmonium.

Ford and Griffiths were back at the Gold Coast in January to target a $150,000 Redoute’s Choice colt out of RL Magic Millions Guineas third Happy Hussy. They outlaid another $240,000 for a Medaglia d’Oro filly at the Inglis Easter yearling sale.

Ford and Griffiths combined with Chris Bromley to buy three yearlings at the Melbourne Premier with the Pierro – Classic Music filly topping the list at $160,000. She’s a half-sister to the Griffiths-trained filly Classic Diva (High Chaparral) who won at Caulfield in January.

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ZARPOYA