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Snooker betting tips: Wuhan Open outright preview and best bets
Richard Mann has two big-priced selections lined for snooker's Wuhan Open, which begins early on Sunday morning.
Snooker betting tips: Wuhan Open
1pt e.w. Ali Carter to win the Wuhan Open at 28/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral 1/2 1,2)
1pt e.w. Chris Wakelin to win the Wuhan Open at 33/1 (General 1/2 1,2)
Defending champion Judd Trump is once again the headline act at the Wuhan Open, another lucrative Chinese event but one which will this year be shorn of the presence of Ronnie O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan and Mark Allen have already withdrawn from the tournament, meaning 5/2 is the best Trump’s supporters will get about their man who has been by far and away the best player of the season so far.
Trump has already claimed two major titles, the Shanghai Masters and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, along with finishing runner-up to Kyren Wilson at the Xi’an Grand Prix.
It’s clear that if Trump navigates his first few matches he will likely prove hard to stop again, though he does find himself drawn in around the likes of recent British Open finalist John Higgins and Anthony McGill.
I’m happy to give him a pass at the prices, in the main because I’m keen for a bet in the bottom half of the draw – the opposite section to Trump.
Allen was due to head the bottom half, but in his absence, Neil Robertson and Kyren Wilson are now the shortest priced runners from that part of the draw. Wilson has already won in China this term, while Robertson signalled his return to form with victory at the English Open.
Both merit obvious respect, but I’m still not entirely convinced Robertson is back to his absolute best and he certainly looked vulnerable late in that English Open final. That’s not to say he can be easily discounted, similarly Wilson, but quotes of 4/1 and 8/1 about their respective chances look about right to me.
Course form points to Carter
Instead, I’ll be backing last year’s runner-up, ALI CARTER, each-way at 28/1.
Carter pushed Trump very close in the final of this event 12 months ago, kickstarting a fine season which also saw him finish runner-up at the Masters and reach the last four of the Players Championship.
The Captain has been fairly quiet recently, but he won the Championship League as recently as July and then only lost out in a deciding frame to Ding Junhui in the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters. He made two centuries in that match.
He lost another decider in the first round of the British Open, but had hardly pulled up any trees in that event and the preceding English Open last year, before then hitting top form in Wuhan.
I won’t be the only snooker punter who places importance on horses for courses, so Carter ticks a big box there, and I just don’t think it’s that hard to envisage him slipping into top gear this week, just as he did last year.
He’ll start as hot favourite against veteran Mark Davis, as he would with Marco Fu or Louis Heathcote to follow, so he really ought to fancy his chances of setting up a possible last-16 meeting with Shaun Murphy.
Murphy would be no good thing to get that far anyway, but regardless, Carter comfortably leads the head-to-head (21-14).
All things considered, another deep run from Carter would not surprise, so odds of 28/1 make plenty of appeal.
Dangerous Wakelin due a change of luck
Back to the top half, and I can't resist a swing on CHRIS WAKELIN, a dangerous operator who has already made the semi-finals of the English Open this season.
In fact, his overall form is very solid, with Allen just edging him out in the last 16 at the British Open last week, that after Thepchaiya Un-Nooh did the same to the former Shoot Out winner in Saudi Arabia.
With a bit more rub of the green and a slight improvement in the scoring department, Wakelin could quite easily make a splash this week.
The early part of his draw is very favourable, with Ding in the last 16 the first match Wakelin wouldn’t be favourite for, and that’s one that he would not shy away from.
Further down the line, Trump could loom as a colossal challenge, but much can happen before then and I’m happy to take my chances each-way at odds of 33/1.
Posted at 1200 BST on 04/10/24
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