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By Ray Hickson

Trainer John Thompson is convinced a breakthrough win isn’t far into the future for stayer Impunity but he’ll need improvement in the track at Warwick Farm on Wednesday to be confident he can bring out his best.

Trainer John Thompson (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s been a year since Impunity’s last win and the TAB Handicap (2110m) will be the gelding’s fourth run from a break – Thompson only hopes he has better fortune than in a similar race two weeks ago.

There was an air of confidence that the five-year-old would feature in the finish but a series of misfortunes left the trainer wondering what might have been after he ran sixth behind Stylebender.

“He was going to run well the other day,’’ Thompson said.

“We were expecting a big improvement, he was getting to his right distance. He’s a real 2400m horse but it’s far enough for him to get into it

“Just when he was starting to wind up the horse in front of him came back in his face and stopped him in his tracks. It was a non-event.

“He’s not a horse with a turn of foot, he’s got to wind up."

A track in the soft range doesn’t hold too many fears for Impunity, $10 with TAB on Tuesday, but he has failed twice on heavy tracks – once on debut at 1300m and the other at the end of his previous campaign at 2400m.

In-form jockey Chad Schofield, fresh from his Group 1 win on Saturday, rides the gelding for the first time this preparation and was on board in his last win in February 2025.

“He seems to be going well, he’s no good on wet tracks that’s for sure, and he’s ready to win given the right circumstances,’’ Thompson said.

“He has to start doing something now he’s at his right distance and he’s fit and well.

“He keeps drawing outside barriers which doesn’t help, with a good draw he could be two lengths closer in the run.”

Meanwhile, Thompson is likely to give in-form mare Starphistocated her chance in stakes company in Saturday’s Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) at Randwick.

She and stablemate Kingston Charm have been dual nominated for that race and the Midway over the same trip and the trainer says he’d probably split them up.

Starphistocated is coming off an easy win in a 1500m Midway at Rosehill and Thompson said this weekend is a stepping stone to her main target.

“Her aim is the Epona two weeks after this, it’s to get a mile run into her but she’s going very well. She’ll be a threat,’’ he said.

“She’s definitely a horse on the rise, she’s going through the grades and we’re trying to get as many wins as we can along the way. I think she will get black type one day.”

Kingston Charm is a lot more exposed, with 40 starts under her belt, and Thompson said she’s an honest mare who simply needs the breaks to be in the finish of her races which didn’t come when she finished midfield in a Midway a month ago.

“She’s a horse that gets back and needs speed on,’’ he said.

Impunity's last start at Warwick Farm on February 18

“When JMac rode her she was posted wide the whole way. She’s running well without winning, she’s just a horse that needs everything to fall into place.”

And Group 1 winner El Castello, who at his first run for Thompson ran last in the Liverpool City Cup after a bout of cardiac arrhythmia, is set to be gelded.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting