WORLD champion Graeme Dott looks almost certain to secure a quarter-final place at the Maplin UK Championship in York as he takes a 7-1 lead over Robin Hull into today's second session at the Barbican Centre.

Dott was in cruise control yesterday against qualifier Hull - who saw off 14th seed Neil Robertson in the last round but will need little short of a miracle to progress past this third round encounter.

Dott, the second seed, took the opening frame with a break of 66 and had a 3-1 lead at the interval before shooting a 73 in the sixth and a 90 break in the eighth to open up a six-frame advantage.

The Scot beat Peter Ebdon to capture the Crucible crown in April and is aiming to become just the sixth player to hold the world and UK titles in the same year.