The Branxton trainer has even collected a few impressive titles along the way, including three straight Louth Cup victories and the 162-year-old Wallabadah Cup, a race which outdates the Melbourne Cup, Kentucky Derby and Grand Prix de Paris.

But this Friday the veteran preparer will contest his first Boxing Day races at Newcastle when Exotic Fever lines up in the third.

“This will be my first one, which is why I was keen to have a go,” Boland said.

“He [Exotic Fever] was actually ­supposed to be running at Quirindi, but everybody keeps telling me how good a meeting [Newcastle] is.”

The six-year-old gelding has been in the care of Boland from 2012 after he bought Exotic Fever for friend Brian Barton, who lives more than 1000 kilometres away somewhere west of Louth. 

“He’s an honest little horse I’ve had for about two years,” Boland said.

“I bought him off a bloke for a mate of mine and he only paid $500 for him.

“His first 10 starts he’d done nothing with the previous trainer, but more recently he has started to show something.

“He has won a BOBS race and run ­multiple places.”

Boland reckons the two-kilometre ­distance would be ideal, but Exotic Fever will have another crack over the 1400m on Friday in the Benchmark 65 Handicap.

Exotic Fever will wear the number eight rug, carry 54kg and jump from barrier three.

Boland has two other emergencies at Newcastle on Boxing Day, Bold Colt and Our Compass Rose, which will both start at Scone on Saturday.

Also in action at Broadmeadow on Friday will be Horseshoe Bend’s Peter Eggleston with El’a International (race one, number five) and Berry Park’s Dianne Lumsden with Zroya (race six, number 13).

Central Coast trainer Allan Denham and Champion Cessnock jockey Robert Thompson will team up in four events with Farah (race two, number five), Proxy (race four, number three), Sunbury (race five, number five) and Whateverchic (race seven, number six).

First race jumps at 1.35pm.

Race One: 3 (Mikima), 9, 7, 4 

Race Two: 9 (Tuscan Falls), 13, 10, 5

Race Three: 1 (Eye Striker), 2, 3, 6

Race Four: 3 (Proxy), 5, 2, 4

Race Five: 1 (Ballinaclash), 4, 5, 6

Race Six: 1 (Savanero), 7, 16, 10

Race Seven: 6 (Whateverchic), 5, 8, 10