But according to Archard, the BM64 Handicap over 2100m he won by 5.5 lengths on August 2 is “a whole different kettle of fish” to Thursday's $35,000 Blaze Essential Services BM64 Handicap over 2100m due to its Soft 6 rating.
“You're always hoping, but this time we haven't got a big heavy track that he excels on, though it should be a reasonably good one,” Archard said.
“But he's fit and well, and there is no reason he won't go well.”
Nominated jockey Craig Newitt will have his first crack on Barmah Al, with Archard confident the 36-year-old is the right man for the job.
“He's a very good front running rider and that is one of the reasons I picked him out,” Archard said.
“The horse likes to roll along in front.”
Following his third career win at Echuca earlier in the month, Barmah Al went on to run fourth at Sandown on August 18 on a soft 6 and over the longer 2400m.
“He ran really well,” Archard said.
“That was a good track, so if it was a heavy one he would have run a lot closer.
“And it was probably a lot stronger field than what we're striking on Thursday.”
The Mick Cornish-Donna Gaskin stable will have the most local representatives at the meeting, with three horses accepted.
Bridesmaid O’Whatapicture will be aiming to put six second placings behind him and break the maiden in the second race of the day, the $35,000 Moama Bowling Club Maiden Plate over 1300m.
A race later, the stable will debut four-year-old mare Sandover in the Echuca CIH Sales & Services Maiden Plate over 1300m, while Coralist will also be searching for his maiden in the Murphy’s Turf and Landscaping Maiden Plate over 1100m.
It will be the four-year-old mare's first start for Cornish and Gaskin after changing trainers.
The Gwenda Johnstone-trained Lika Mosh has also accepted for the maiden over 1100m, but likely won't race due to a bad barrier draw.
It would have been the four-year-mare's first start.
The first race at Echuca starts at 12.30pm.
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