Ken captures Challenge prize

Doherty: Shanghai boost

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Ken Doherty warmed up for next week's Shanghai Masters by taking the second Pro Challenge Series event, the first to use the new Super Sixes format.

Irishman Doherty prevailed in the shorter format of the game to win the second event in the series, this time held in Prestatyn, thanks to a 6-2 win over Martin Gould in the final.

Former Crucible champion Doherty showed some fine form throughout the contest, winning five matches over the two days and losing just seven frames during those victories.

Middlesex cueman Gould won the opening frame of the final, but he was never in it from then on as four frames on the spin fired Doherty in front and he made no mistake from there.

27-year-old Gould had earlier beaten Fergal O'Brien in the quarter-finals before edging a tense semi-final 6-5 against Anthony Hamilton after blowing a 4-2 lead.

Fightback

Gould was looking comfortable until Hamilton found some real form to rattle off three frames on the spin to then lead 5-4 and within one of the final, but Gould gathered himself to knock off two frames to go through.

With fewer reds on the table, the new maximum break in Super Sixes is 75, and four players achieved that feat during the tournament.

O'Brien compiled the fourth maximum to join Dave Harold, Stuart Pettman and Ryan Day, with Pettman taking the highest break prize as his time of two minutes and 31 seconds was the fastest recorded.

Doherty had the chance to cap a triumphant tournament by adding to the tally of maximums, but he missed the final black during his 6-1 semi-final thumping of Thailand's Atthasit Mahitthi.

Nevertheless, Doherty will fly to China in fine spirits and with some decent match practice under his belt ahead of next week's Shanghai Masters - the opening ranking event of the season.