 The following season heralded a quarter-final appearance in a WPBSA non-ranking event, where Wright lost 3–5 to David Taylor, and progress to the last 32 in the 1988 Classic, where he followed victories over veterans Geoff Foulds and Rex Williams with a 2–5 defeat to young John Parrott.Following his first-round loss to Duncan Campbell in the 1989 World Championship, he slipped out of the top 64 in the rankings, finishing the season 67th.However, better form was to come in the 1990 Grand Prix, where he beat Eric Lawlor and Craig Edwards before losing 2–5, again to Hendry.