North Queensland cane and melon farmer Joe Rapisarda’s long association with trainer Steve O’dea continues at Ipswich on Wednesday when the stable saddles up lightly raced three-year-old Burdekin Boy.

Rapisarda has bred and owned hundreds of horses since moving to Australia from Italy as a 13-year-old.

Burdekin Boy – a Boris Thornton mount – is one of his latest and lines up for only his second start in a Maiden Handicap over 1350 metres in which stable mate Traviata also is an acceptor.

The son of More Than Ready barrier trialled twice before making his debut with a stout finishing third to Pivotal Lad in a 1200-metre maiden at Eagle Farm on January 26.

"His first run as very good and he's improved a lot off it," Matt Hoysted said.

"We think he'll run well again but the worry looks to be Tony Gollan's Torabella, who was very impressive when she won a barrier trial at the Sunshine Coast recently."

Traviata has started three times and is third-up from a break after finishing third to Pink Thunder in a 1200-metre maiden at Eagle Farm last month.

Meanwhile, Hoysted is excited about the upcoming campaign of gun sprinter Uncommon James.

Uncommon James trialled sensationally over 1000 metres at Doomben last week in his first serious test since finishing third to boom Kiwi mare Imperatriz in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley last October.

"His trial was fantastic and he ran fast time," Hoysted said.

"He's been in work about nine weeks and is coming along very well.

"He's having a hit and run trip to Sydney for The Galaxy then he'll come home for the Queensland Racing Carnival."

Hoysted has pencilled in an early winter campaign for Uncommon James, whose best win in six victories was in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in Melbourne 12 months ago.

Uncommon James will be out to avenge his second to the Joe Pride-trained Mariamia in last year's The Galaxy when he heads to Sydney.

A five-year-old winner of almost $1.4m in prizemoney, Uncommon James will launch his winter campaign in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm in May.

"He'll then run two weeks later in the Doomben 10,000 and then the (Group 1) Kingsford-Smith which will be the fork in the road whether he goes onto the Stradbroke.

"He's never been past 1200 metres but I've always thought he would get further."