Snooker: MacGillivray on glory trail

Edinburgh snooker star Craig MacGillivray travels to Sheffield this weekend knowing that a good performance at the World Open Final Qualifying round could secure him a place at the final stages the Glasgow's SECC next month, where the players will be playing for a £100,000 top prize.

MacGillivray, 38, from Granton, won the qualifying tournament staged at the Q Club in Glasgow, beating Bonnyrigg's Michael Leslie 3-2 in the final. During the event, MacGillivray made a 129 break which was the highest on the day.

"Since qualifying for Sheffield, this is all I have been able to think about. I have been playing six days a week since then," he said. "It would be fantastic to qualify for the final stages in Glasgow where I would have the home support behind me. After a difficult few months, this has given me some real focus."

As well as practising for this event, MacGillivray has been keeping fit by cycling around Edinburgh getting to know the streets, as he is training to become a taxi driver in Edinburgh. McGillivray starts on Sunday against Jamie Edwards who qualified from Norwich. Victory could set up a tie with James Wattana of Thailand on Monday.