Gold Coast trainer Kelly Doughty is aiming at next year's winter carnival staying races with talented colt Sanderson who heads for a spring break after running at Doomben on Saturday.Sanderson will line up for only his fourth start and steps up slightly in distance in the Centenary Concreting Handicap (1615m) following his last-start victory over 1500 metres at Eagle Farm 12 days ago.The Iglesia colt has been a bargain buy for first-time owners Vikki and Harry Heyligers who paid only $1,600 for

Gold Coast trainer Kelly Doughty is aiming at next year's winter carnival staying races with talented colt Sanderson who heads for a spring break after running at Doomben on Saturday.

Sanderson will line up for only his fourth start and steps up slightly in distance in the Centenary Concreting Handicap (1615m) following his last-start victory over 1500 metres at Eagle Farm 12 days ago.

The Iglesia colt has been a bargain buy for first-time owners Vikki and Harry Heyligers who paid only $1,600 for the three-year-old.

Sanderson was originally prepared by Mark Webb at Toowoomba but was put up for sale after failing in three barrier trials and proving a handful to train.

After one of his first gallops for Doughty her husband, former jockey Gary Doughty, immediately declared Sanderson a potential stayer.

"He was mad when we first got him and I think that's why he was sold," Doughty said.

"He was a really dangerous horse early on but we've rectified all that now."

Doughty mended Sanderson's erratic ways by sending him to Outback Australia, a training centre on the Gold Coast, for 10 days of work.

Since then Sanderson has shown little of his roguish behaviour and gave a glimpse of what could be ahead with his winning display at Eagle Farm.

"He's now a nice horse and he'll go out for six to eight weeks after this run," Doughty said.

"We think he might make a nice stayer later on and I'm looking at the winter races next year.

"The Grand Prix would be a nice race for him and that would give us a guide whether he can measure up to the Queensland Derby."

Doughty has retained last-start rider Michael Cahill for Sanderson despite a weight rise of 2.5 kilograms to 58 kilograms.

"I never thought about a claim as he's a hard horse to handle," she said.

"Michael knows the horse well now. He's ridden him twice and isn't frightened of him."

Doughty believes Sanderson may potentially be the best stayer she's trained.

"Port Call was my best sprinter but this bloke shows enough potential that he might be the best distance horse I've trained," she said.