China’s Zhao Xintong faces a big 48-hours in his bid regain his full playing rights at the latest Q-School event in Burton. Zhao saw off Jamie Brown 4-2 to reach the third round of Q-School event two on Wednesday and requires four more wins on Thursday and Friday to earn a fresh two-year tour card. The 21-year-old dropped off the tour at the end of last season and is inching his way towards an immediate bounce-back.

Zhao will now meet Jamie Curtis-Barrett next, another player aiming to hit straight back after tour relegation. Curtis-Barrett came through the ringer in a seventh-frame decider in his 4-3 win over Lee Daegyu, clearing from green to black to take a tense final frame.

Zhao is 1.50 favourite to get past Curtis-Barrett on Thursday, while the English potter is 2.40 to continue his progress with victory.

Meanwhile, former ranking event semi-finalist Michael Judge had a century break in his 4-1 win over Hu Hao in Burton on Wednesday while Thailand’s Dechawat Poomjaeng fired a contribution of 94 as he sailed past Ahmed Elsayed for a comfortable 4-0 win.

Poomjaeng can be backed at 1.20 to win his next game against Ka Wai Cheung, who 4.00 having defeated Luke Garland 4-0 in an often scrappy second-round tussle in Burton.

The third and final Q-School event will get underway at the Meadowside Centre on Saturday and runs until next Thursday.