Chris Johnson is prepared to go the extra mile in his quest for a second national jockeys' premiership.

The veteran South Island rider won the title with 139 winners in 1995-96 season and a treble at Rotorua on Sunday took him to 84 for this term, five behind pacemaker Danielle Johnson.

"Depending how things go, he might even go back to hurdle racing," his manager John Tannahill said.

Johnson, 53, hasn't ridden over fences for a while, but he has an outstanding record.

"It would be three or four years since he rode over the jumps," Tannahill said.

"He's ridden 55 winners over hurdles from about 260 rides, but he's only had one steeplechase ride and fell at the first fence."

Johnson's jumping CV features wins in the Great Northern, Grand National and Wellington Hurdles.