Danny O'Brien has the upcoming upcoming spring carnival on his mind after the debut win of Awake In Grinzing at Sandown.

Next week O'Brien heads to the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal to appeal a four-year cobalt disqualification, but the victory of Awake In Grinzing in The Grand Hotel Frankston Plate on Wednesday has given the trainer something else to think about.

Ridden by Ben Melham, Awake In Grinzing ($7) charged from back in the field to score by a length from Los Cabos ($6.50) with Ponte Roma ($5) a neck away third.

O'Brien says Awake In Grinzing has the pedigree to be competitive over 2000 to 2400 metres and he intends to give the gelding the chance to get to the Victoria Derby.

"We'll give him a run in three or four weeks time and see where he's at," O'Brien said.

"It is a long-range plan with a horse of his pedigree to give them a chance when the Derby is run but there's Derbys and good three-year-old races in the autumn if it all comes too soon.

"It's still a long way off but quite often horses that run well on Derby day have a run or two during the winter and he got a big tick today."

O'Brien trained the gelding's half brother Ballack who ran second in the 2007 WA Derby and won the Group Three Tattersalls Cup in Brisbane the following year.