Money on King for Golden Shears

MEDIA RELEASE
 

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

Friday, March 5, 8am

Money on King for Golden Shears

The TAB has been forced to slash the odds on Napier shearer Dion King to win his second Golden Shears open title after a surge in betting support since the weekend.

When the book was opened last week, the 35-year-old 2006 champion, who has been based in Australia for most of the last year, was quoted at $15 to win the title, with fellow Napier shearer and two-times winner John Kirkpatrick the favourite at $2.50.

King's odds were first cut on Monday, after he won at tiny Apiti in Manawatu on Saturday, won of three weekend contests involving most of the major hopes. The first at Taumarunui on Friday was won by Te Kuiti icon, reigning Golden Shears champion and 16-times victor David Fagan, resulting in his odds being cut from $6 to $4, and the third at Pahiatua on Sunday was won by Dean Ball, also from Te Kuiti.

The odds on King, who had also won two other titles since returning to New Zealand in January, were cut to $9 on Monday, but TAB bookmaker Kieran McAnulty said today the  further support for King had given the TAB "no option" but to tighten his odds further, to $6.

Meanwhile, Kirkpatrick has eased to $3 but remains the favourite to regain a title he won in 2002 and 2008.

The heats start at 12.30pm today, the third day of the 50th Golden Shears, with the goal of aslmost 100 entrants being firstly to qualify for tonight's quarterfinals Top 30 Shootout. The final, featuring the best six shearers in the World, will be on tomorrow night (Saturday).

The TAB is also running head-to-head and first-three finish pools, and is also operating a pool on the PGG Wrightson National Roundup, in which 12 semi-finals qualifiers will line-up tomorrow shearing five different wool types trying to qualify for the final of that event, also tomorrow night.

ENDS

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