Riga Masters snooker, Friday match previews, predictions and where to watch

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Jamie O'Neill looks of a mind to right some wrongs in his second crack at snooker's main tour and the Wellingborough ace looks well worth a punt in the Riga Masters.

O'Neill, 32, knocked the stuffing out of Barry Hawkins in a 4-1 victory over the world number nine in the tournament's qualifiers in Sheffield last month.

He made breaks of 101, 73 and 120 in the first three frames to leave Hawkins reeling and a reproduction of that form could afford him a big chance in Latvia.

O'Neill lived it up on his first stab at the main tour and his snooker suffered. The jury is still out over whether he possesses the temperament to win key events but the talent is there.

He can be backed outright, and with occasional practice partner Kyren Wilson being the favourite to win their quarter, O'Neill can also be punted to reach the semis.

Michael Holt, runner-up in the recent Zhangjiagang Open, says he may have turned a corner and could prosper, but an opener against Alexander Ursen­bacher may not be easy and he could face Ali Carter in the last 32.

Ricky Walden is looking sharper physically this season and the former world number six, whose three main-tour titles have all come overseas, can be chanced to add to that total in Riga.

Walden is in the same quarter as defending champ and top seed Neil Robertson, who loves this event. But with big Ricky having beaten the Aussie in three of their ten previous meetings, things could be close between the pair should they clash in the last eight.

Another big-priced outsider is Jackson Page. There are high hopes for the Welsh 17-year-old, the current European Under-21 champion and former world and European under-18 hero.

Page may not yet be ready to do himself justice in a tournament of this stature, but his proximity in the draw to his mentor and occasional practice partner Mark Williams could aid his cause.

The big lad opens against Gary Wilson, who made the Betfred World Champion­ship semi-finals in May. And while upsetting the Geordie is unlikely to prove an easy task, Page has enough talent to suggest he could at least offer reasonable resistance to Wilson.

Williams may have to find a way past smart 23-year-old James Cahill in round two and that could be tough, but the world number three could do Page a favour by removing some dangerous floaters in his early outings.

Page can be chanced to win the fourth quarter and an outright tickle may also be warranted.

Recommendations
J O'Neill
1pt each-way 750-1 BoyleSports, Coral, Ladbrokes
J O'Neill to win second quarter
1pt 80-1 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes
R Walden
1pt 80-1 Betfred, BoyleSports
J Page
0.5pt each-way 1,000-1 general
J Page to win fourth quarter
0.5pt 125-1 general

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