Snooker: Bahrain Championship

[kevshat]

Re: Snooker: Bahrain Championship Lots of big name absentees from this event which begins in the morning. Higgins, Selby, Ding and Davis are all in the Premier League on Thursday night so can't play this event. O'Sullivan has pulled out on medical grounds. 2 outrights for me. 3pts ew M.Fu to win Bahrain Championship 12/1 Boylesports With the withdrawals from this event of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby the draw has opened up nicely for him if he cam overcome Dominic Dale in the 1st round which I would expect him to do. He's due to play Steve Davis in the last 16 but I believe Davis is pulling out because he too is playing the Premier League on Thursday however I can't see that confirmed anywhere. Even if Davis does show up you'd fancy Fu in that one. Fu has looked like he's playing well this season and only Selby and O'Sullivan have been able to stop him in recent events. With the draw opening up bigtime for him I'll take Fu to go the distance this week. 1pt ew K.Doherty to win Bahrain Championship 40/1 Totesport Ken Doherty managed to avoid the qualifying tournament for this event due to the withdrawals and I think he can have a decent run now he's here. He's generally a good player overseas having won the Malta Cup among other overseas events. He comes in here off the back of a decent run out in the World Series last week where he beat Selby before losing to Ding in the final so confidence should be high and with the importance of this event not being so high for the big hitters and with so many stars missing, if Doherty can get on a roll 40/1 is too big for a player of his quality.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: Bahrain Championship Not really very inspiring this one given the absentees and the hole in the draw seemingly open for Fu/Dale. Hardly any option of quarter bets either. However given that the last couple of events have gone well for me, Im going to do two outrights. Cope 18/1 boy 2.5 pts e.w Both Walden and Day have done me favours this season and both are considered in the top half but I just wonder if another youngish name who has made a name for himself in the last couple of seasons, could be a threat here. Cope had a great season two years back when he reached two ranking finals. Last season he was a bit quiet but the early indications are that he is back to form this season. He made a 147 in Shanghai despite losing to Williams in a high quality game and in the last event at the grand prix he made the q/fs and looked good in patches. His draw looks fair enough with Holt up first and the likes of Ebdon, Hendry and Walden seemingly the biggest threats in the quarter but all players Cope can overcome and has done before. A really dangerous player when he gets going, it could be a good event for the aggressive Cope. Hawkins 33/1 var 2 pts e.w The bottom half which Hawkins is in looks tougher than the top but that shouldnt rule out a possible run in this event for Hawkins. A very gritty and determined player, Hawkins has won at least one match at every event so far this season and carried that on here by winning the last two frames to win 5-4 and get here. Whilst the bottom of the draw does look harder, his first two matches dont seem impossible at all to me. He faces Doherty, a class act on his day but a player who has been in poor form at the start of this season and is only here because he effectively got a bye, Murphy a potential last 16 opponent hasnt won all season so far and already the draw could open up and Hawkins could surprise a few.