WINNER: Judd Trump

Trump has won three of the five ranking events he has entered this year, including the last two.

The World No. 1 also reached the Champion of Champions final in between those two victories at the World Open and Northern Irish Open, and is undoubtedly the most-feared player on the planet.

Having already won the Masters and World Championships in 2019, he is an obvious bet to become the first player to hold all three Triple Crown titles simultaneously since Mark Williams in 2003.

EACH-WAY BET: John Higgins

Higgins has quietly come into form in the last month, reaching the semi-finals of his last two ranking events before losing to Trump in both.

With Trump in the other half of the draw in York, the Scot, who has reached the last three World Championship finals, can go one better.

He has little to worry about in his section of the draw, before he potentially bumps into Neil Robertson and Ronnie O’Sullivan in the latter stages.

For someone with so much experience and form, he is a good price to overcome those challenges.

OUTSIDE SHOT: Dave Gilbert

If an outsider is to win in York, they are likely to come away from O’Sullivan, Higgins, Robertson and Trump in Quarter 3.

Mark Selby is the favourite to win this quarter, but neither he nor next-best Mark Williams are in convincing form.

That opens the door for Gilbert, who has reached three quarter-finals and a final from seven events this season, to reach the latter stages and perhaps go all the way.

TO WIN QUARTER: Ronnie O’Sullivan

Let’s keep this simple.

O’Sullivan may not be in the form of his life, but he has still reached the semi-finals of three of his four events this season, and seemed to move into a new gear en route to the final in Northern Ireland a fortnight ago.

He has reached the final of this event at his last four attempts, winning it three times.

With Shaun Murphy and Kyren Wilson – both of whom have ropey head-to-head records against him – in his quarter, he is a solid bet to reach the semis.

FIRST ROUND SHOCK: Duane Jones to beat Ding Junhui

Ding was knocked out in the first round for the third time in four ranking events in Northern Ireland.

The last two of those defeats have come against World No. 89 Dominic Dale and World No. 116 David Lilley, so he is far from safe against No. 113 Duane Jones.

Jones won the only meeting between the pair at the German Masters last season.

At smaller odds, Si Juahui to beat Mark Davis at also appeals.

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