Shining Gould in Blackpool

Martin Gould became the Sky Shootout 2013 champion tonight by doing what he does best - potting balls.

Picture by Monique Limbos

He isn't called the Pinner potter for no reason.

Gould is one of the best players to watch outside of the top 16. He always goes by attacking instincts and is a wonderful single-ball potter.

He showed that again this weekend in Blackpool, beating Mark Allen in the final to pocket the £32,000 top prize for a grand total of one hour's work on the baize.

That's the great thing about the Shootout.

Traditional snooker it may not be, but it still has plenty of benefits. It brings an element of fun to the game, loosens the shackles on the players, showcases the characters on the circuit, gives the fans at home a short and sharp format to dip in and out of and is an event where the spectators can really make some noise.

Gould is becoming a bit of a master of the quickfire formats. He adds this title to his triumph at Power Snooker in 2011 and proves what we already know about him as a player. He is at his best when plays with his first instincts and tackles the table as he sees it.

Martin has never been a moaner. He goes quietly about his business, turning up at the venue always willing to give it a go. He has incredible belief in his talent and, when his game comes together, is fantastic to watch.

His charge into the top 16 a little over a year ago was a story of a fearless potter being rewarded for his positive style of play.

His stay in the elite was short-lived. He's had to tackle confidence issues and bouts of inconsistency,but remains one of the players on the fringes of the top 16 capable of bursting back into contention.

A year ago Barry Hawkins won the Shootout title. This proved to be a springboard for him to win his first major ranking event and plot his way back into the top 16. Gould will have the same hopes.