Punters were left reeling when Patch Adams won at odds of 100/1 on the opening day of the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival on May 4.

The win caught trainer Aaron Purcell by surprise. He declared the eight-year-old had been set for the Casterton Cup, a race he had won in 2018 and ran second in 2020.

"The win at Warrnambool was a bonus," Purcell told The Standard. "I didn't think he had much chance at Warrnambool but we've taken that win with a smile on our face.

"We've been handicapped an extra three kilograms in the Casterton Cup for the win at Warrnambool.

"I was hoping to get into the Casterton Cup on the minimum weight but now we're three kilograms over the bottom but I think he's still in the race very well.

"I would go to say he's improved on the back of the Warrnambool win."

The multiple group one-winning trainer said Patch Adams loved racing at Casterton.

"Patch Adams has got an excellent record over the 2000 metres at Casterton," he said.

"He won the Casterton Cup back in 2018 before running second in the race last year. He also ran second in last year's Apsley Cup over the 2000 metres at Casterton.

"His record in local country cups is very solid. I'm confident he'll run very well. The only instruction to jockey Melissa Julius will be to be travelling midfield in the run before making his run in the last 250 metres."

From his 78 starts Patch Adams has won eight races earning more than $485,000 in stakemoney for his connections.

The Casterton Cup is scheduled to start at 3.25 pm on Sunday.

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