They call him ‘Shippy’ for short, but don’t be deceived by his cutesy moniker. When it comes to handicapping tournaments, Clare Cressman is a barracuda.
The 82-year-old Elmira, Ont. player is the latest winner in the qualifying rounds of Grand River Raceway’s 'Winter Wednesdays Handicapping Tournament.' He secured $100 and a shot at the $4,000 final with a bankroll of $134.40 in Leg 2 on January 23.
The astute punter is a longtime contender in Grand River Raceway’s extensive handicapping tournament offerings. His most notable victory was in the $1,000 final of a live racing contest in 2010. Ignoring jeers from his track cronies, Cressman made duplicate selections on all three of his entries. He walked away with the top three spots, good for $870.
In his most recent conquest, Cressman managed three wins and a second in the seven-race challenge. His track of choice was Tampa Bay where an $82.10 winner put him over the top. Runner-up Chuck Hall finished with $118.00. Gary Watt rounded out the top three with $94.60.
With more than 65 years of handicapping prowess to his credit, Cressman has plenty of favourites, including:
Favourite Racetrack – Grand River Raceway
Favourite Driver – Trevor Henry
Favourite Track Food – Chicken Fingers
Favourite Stakes Race – Canadian Pacing Derby
Favourite Horse of all Time – Danny Song A
The top 10 finishers in each of the 10 legs of the Winter Wednesdays Handicapping Tournament advance to the $4,000 final on March 27.
January 30 is round three of the contest. Patrons can play for free at Grand River Raceway and its OTB site, The Bettor Club, in Kitchener, Ont.
Complete rules and regulations are available on the Grand River Raceway website.
(GRR)