Punters back Rowland Smith to win Golden Shears

March 4, 2016

Rollin’ in it: Punters back Rowland Smith to win Golden Shears

The short-price on Golden Shears Open shearing championship favourite Rowland Smith isn’t deterring punters as the event starts its preliminary stages in Masterton today.

With 14 wins in 15 finals throughout the country this season, and beaten only three times in 30 finals dating back to his last Golden Shears Open win in 2014 and including his 2014 World title, Smith was a $1.40 when the TAB opened its book on the event last weekend.

He’s the shortest-priced favourite in the more than 15 years TAB betting has been available on the Golden Shears.

TAB shearing bookmaker Kieran McAnulty said more than 60 percent of betting turnover on the Golden Shears Open has been on Smith.

The major investment in the past has come once the competition gets under way, but even before the heats, with over 70 shearers starting, the amount bet on the now 29-year-oldis already approaching that bet on his chances when he won the title in in 2013 and 2014.

Mr McAnulty said he had anticipated greater interest in the higher-than-usual prices on such competitors as defending champion Gavin Mutch, four-times champion John Kirkpatrick, 2006 winner Dion King and local Wairarapa hope David Buick.

Punters also have the option of a Smith v the Field pick, and Mr McAnulty said: “Punters are apparently choosing to increase their stake on the red-hot favourite rather than look towards the other shearers.”

The TAB has a range of betting options on the Golden Shears Open shearing and woolhandling, including Top Three finishes.

The woolhandling heats started this morning, and the Open shearing heats are this afternoon, followed by the Top 30 quarter-final shootouttonight, a semi-final with the remaining top 12 tomorrow afternoon, and the six-man showdown in shearing’s greatest 20 minutes tomorrownight.

ENDS

© Scoop Media