The 2200m turf feature today has rising staying stars, reputations on the line and some very in form players just marking Longines time.

The $150K Mandai Classic Stakes is the tenth race on the card at Kranji and every runner bar one has a win at least in their last five starts.

Three runners have a brace or back-to-back wins in their formline.

Most if not all in this field are looking to get a start or go into the S$1.35 million G1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) in two weeks time holding their form.

The only two runnings of the Mandai Classic have seen the wins go to the Pat Shaw trained and Barend Vorster ridden Ricoco in 2009 and the Michael Freedman trained and Danny Beasley ridden Zac Missile last year.

It was held over 2000m when Ricoco carried 57kg to win and last year at 2200m saw Zac Missile carry 51kg and clock a very respectable 2:15.57.

Freedman does not have a runner today but Shaw has two major players and remember we are in the tenth round of twelve and he and Laurie Laxon are still throwing premiership punches at each other.

Two more months to go and Shaw and Laxon are in split decision territory at the moment but both have a trick or two to play in the premiership deciding rounds.

Lizarre is a top class stayer and Shaw has quite possibly the winner of the Mandai and the Longines on his hands here, with this former South African star looking ominous in his last start win.

Sure he did not beat much last start over 1700m on the poly but he gapped them under 57kg and is still on the way up, as Shaw has only had him for three starts.

He has had to be patient and practical with the son of Jet Master and it may bring big rewards in a fortnight.

Two starts ago Lizarre finished second on the turf behind a rival again today in Hint, with the margin between the pair a quarter of a length in the mile event.

Lizarre carried 2kg more, after Hint had a 3kg claiming apprentice aboard so was handicapped 1kg above the Shaw runner upon acceptance.

Today we will see Lizarre carry 1.5kg more than Hint and both will be ridden by senior riders.

Power Blitz has come back a revelation for Shaw and the long-barrelled and striding American-bred gelding just never knows when to quit.

Vorster stays with Lizarre but he has ridden Power Blitz to a close second and two super wins since, so he knows what sort of fight this gelding can give you late in a race.

Saimee Jumaat will take the reins for Shaw, who wants both his runners safely through today primed and ready to capture the Singapore Gold Cup.

He makes no secret about how good Lizarre is and how relentless Power Blitz has been of late.

Hint with seven wins on the board (all on the turf) is a very consistent horse and he has won up to 2200m and placed up to 2400m.

In his last eleven starts he has won four races and placed five times and finished fourth and sixth the other two times.

The entire by Reset (sire of G1 Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker last weekend) was brave last start and impressive freshened up but don't worry about being third up here, as he has won that way too.

Laurie Laxon has a triple combination to throw in the Mandai and realistically his big hope is Martial Art here and in the Singapore Gold Cup.

His other pair in the race of Quinta De Lago and Gordon Roberts lack the class of several here but can certainly add some spice into the tempo or midrace tactics.

Martial Art with Joao Moreira aboard is too consistent on the turf over a middle distance to ever leave out and at 52kg does seem sure to unleash in the run home and pay a dividend.

The only slight concern I have is Martial Art does finish second a lot and in fact in Singapore has ended runner up more times than victor.

I did like the way he won over 2200m two starts ago with half a kilo less than what he has here and it tells you Laxon has this natural off pacer ready for his blackbelt test in two weeks.

Honest Broker is one of these untapped stayers and looks like if they had a Kranji Cup over 3200m then he would be the pre-post favourite.

His trainer Brian Dean knows he has a serious stayer on his hands but it may be a year too soon however you must strike when everything falls into place.

The last start win by the gelding saw him score by daylight and the runner up Joyful Heat Man, which is very rugged, has come out and won since.

It will be interesting to see if he measures up here and then in the Singapore Gold Cup, as turf and stamina are his current soaring stocks.

Mark Walker has intimated that Flying Fulton does not need another run before the Gold Cup, after his colossal effort for fourth last weekend in the G1 Raffles Cup (1800m).

So he will be represented here just by Tell A Tale, which needs to show something or his second in the Gold Cup last year will not be equalled or bettered.

Interestingly his best form comes third up and that is the state he will be in today with Vlad Duric to ride.

I do think he will be the value in the race but only if, and this is a big if, he does not do his usual trick and bring rain.

Lizarre a class act and whatever beats him should win.

Enjoy the feature race and keep Longines eyes and timing on several of the combatants that could come back and do it all again in a fortnight.