Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 5 November 1941, page 1


SKIPTON'S OWNER MISSED CUP

Thought Herself Unlucky

By DONCASTER

Believing herself to be unlucky, Mrs. J. J. Kitson, owner

of the Melbourne Cup winner, Skipton, did not come to Melbourne from Hamilton to see her colt win the Cup. The trophy was accepted on her behalf by her husband, who had bought Skipton as a yearling and given him to her.

I

Mr. Kitson, with his daughter, Morva, came from Hamilton to see Skipton win the Victoria Derby on Saturday. i By telephone Mr. Kitson invited

his wife to come to Flemington by plane to see the colt run in the Melbourne Cup, and suggested that their daughter should go back on the return plane to Hamilton to attend to their hotel business.

Mrs. Kitson, however, replied that, as her husband and daughter had seen Skipton win the Derby, and she was not

(lucky, it would be better for

them to stay in Melbourne and for her to remain in Hamilton.

SUPERSTITION OF 13

Mrs. Kitson realised that

Skipton had No. 13, the

allegedly unlucky number, in

the Melbourne Cup, and that I

also influenced her to stay at home. What she did not realise, however, was that Skipton was the 13th 3-year-old to win the Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup double, and that No. 13 is not an unlucky number in the Melbourne Cup, as it was carried by Glenloth in 1892, Artilleryman in 1919, and Hall Mark in 1933, Hall Mark being the previous 3-year-old to win the Derby and Cup

double.

Mrs. Kitson now must realise that No. 13 is a very lucky number, as Velocity carried that saddlecloth when successful in the Caulfield Cup, but

carrying No. 7 yesterday, he

was unplaced. In racing No. 7 is supposed to be a lucky number, but no horse carrying that saddlecloth has ever won a Melbourne Cup.

Mrs. Kitson is a very small better. In fact, she told a friend, who was going to Melbourne recently to see Skipton run in the Derby and Cup, that if she could win 5 a day at racing she would be very happy.

Mr. Kitson, however, bets rather well, and was a good winner over Skipton's success. He backed Skipton a few weeks ago for a considerable amount, and when it was decided on Cup Eve that the horse was fit

to start, he backed upon him HOTELKEEPER AT HAMILTON

| Mr. Kitson is licensee of the

Grand Central Hotel at Hamilton. He is a native of Caltowie USA) and at the age of 18 went to Broken Hill, where he worked in the butchering business of the present SA starter. Mr. W. J. Wallace. Mr. Kitson saved his money and after a few years opened a business of his own. Later he came to Melbourne, where he did so well that eventually he was owner of a chain of butchering establishments.

"I did not go to a race meeting for 71 years," said Mr. Kitson yesterday, "and I worked almost 24 hours a day to establish my business, but that told against my health, so I decided to take on the comparative quietude of an hotel at Hamilton. I have always been confident of success in the Victoria Derby, and when my trainer (Jack Fryer) told me that the colt had done well since the Derby I was confident of success for my wife in the Cup."

Full Details of the Cup on Back

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