A wide barrier draw has done little to dampen the optimism of John Thompson ahead of Zanbagh's tilt at Saturday's Group Two Villiers Stakes.

The 2014 ATC Australian Oaks runner-up has drawn barrier 19 of 20 for the feature Randwick mile but the trainer says the fact Zanbagh is a backmarker should go a long way towards negating her awkward gate.

A $17 chance, Zanbagh has shown she could be on the cusp of returning to her autumn three-year-form with two promising performances since joining Thompson's yard.

She resumed with a first-up win last month and followed it with a closing fourth to Mighty Lucky in the Festival Stakes which was dominated by the horses racing on the speed.

Thompson says the mare has worked well since her most recent start and connections have stuck by Kathy O'Hara who established a partnership with her during her three-year-old season and has been reunited with Zanbagh since her return to Sydney from Victoria.

Happy Clapper is favourite for the Villiers after drawing well in barrier six with the Chris Waller-trained Telepathic second pick after coming up with barrier 18.