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 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.
