Trump stars in Coral’s Snooker Shootout opening weekend

Opening weekend holds top match-ups

Following Welshman White’s Snooker Shootout defence beginning, Ireland’s very own 1997 champion champion Ken Doherty is also in action, with ‘the Darling of Dublin’ getting his campaign rolling against the dangerous Tom Ford.

Crowd favourite Ali Carter will take to the Reading baize too, and ‘the Captain’ is 4/6 to overcome Liam Highfield, while reigning Crucible king Stuart Bingham is 20/23 to crack ‘the Walnut’ Ricky Walden.

Everyone’s favourite Scot Alan ‘Angles’ McManus contests David Morris later in the evening too, with a tasting pairing of the 2014 Shootout champion Dominic Dale and Shaun Murphy rounding off Friday’s action, with the latter ‘Magician’ 6/5 to taste defeat.

Trump stars in Saturday’s Shootout action

First round proceedings continue long into Saturday, with a tongue-twisting match-up between John Higgins and Andrew Higginson getting things going, while Rory McLeod is 11/8 to down veteran Welshman Mark Williams in the afternoon.

Fresh back in UK after clinching a sublime German Masters victory, Martin Gould will look for further success in Reading and is 4/5 to edge past Jamie Jones, with Liang Wenbo and Anthony McGill involved in a potentially thrilling meeting.

After rallying all the way to the Masters final in January, Barry Hawkins now faces the threat of Peter Ebdon in the Shootout but ‘the Hawk’ is 6/5 to see his recent soaring halted by this experienced circuit veteran.

Capping off an exciting weekend will be the sport’s young leading light Judd Trump, with the trailblazing potter ready to take this event by storm in quick-fire conditions he relishes. ‘The Juddernaut’ is 16/1 to lift the Shootout silverware, but has to first overcome Gerard Greene in his opener.

Related

Read our extensive snooker archive.

Coral’s top tip: Back 2014 Shootout champion Dominic Dale to overcome Shaun Murphy at 6/5.