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Chop Chop’s return to winning form last time has sent her on a path toward the feature spring and summer staying cups.

The grey mare was successful for the fourth time in her career when she claimed a Rating 75 mile at Ruakaka and Shaune Ritchie is now looking ahead to more serious targets.

“She’ll run on the last day of the Hawke’s Bay carnival and I think races like the Avondale and Counties Cup will be ideal for her,” the Cambridge trainer said.

“She’ll be at the bottom of the weights and she can be a bit of a force to be reckoned with from there.”

Chop Chop displayed her staying potential during her classic season and consecutive mile wins at Otaki and Trentham earned her a crack at the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic.

She finished fourth behind Hera and a fifth placing followed in the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes before she ran a solid fourth to Miss Mossman in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks.

That effort prompted Ritchie to head for the Queensland winter carnival, which in hindsight he said was a mistake.

“We made a bit of a blue by taking her to Brisbane. It really flattened her and counted out most of her four-year-old season.”

Chop Chop did win a race at Ellerslie in the autumn before another break and Ritchie has been delighted with her condition this time around.

“She’s stronger and I can see her being a threat in the open class staying races,” he said.