RELIGION, RESEARCH, THE ARTS, SPORT
220 races were run during the season, 36 less than in 1952/3. Firefly, Marietta and Beat That were the respective winners of the Chinese Club Cup, the Ladies' Purse and the P. & O. Cup. The Pearce Memorial Cup resulted in a dead heat between Bengal Lancer and Knock Again. Flt. Lt. Plumbly rode the winning horses in both the Ladies' Purse and the P. & O. Cup.
The outstanding "griffin" of the season was Mr. David Sung's Jingle Bell. Its three outings resulted in three wins, one being the Hong Kong Derby. It did not race against the older ponies of which Firefly remained the champion. In the Sassoon Cup run over a 1 mile course Firefly beat Babsie, last year's winner of the Hong Kong Derby.
Mr. K. Kwok was the jockey with the greatest number of winning mounts. Mr. H. K. Hung, who rode seven winners out of sixty-nine mounts, was the leading novice rider.
At the conclusion of the season it was found necessary to bar the lowest class of ponies from further racing in order to provide room for a new batch of subscription ponies from Australia.
Table Tennis
A representative team took part in the World Cup Series in India but did not do well. However, a team which competed in the Asian Table Tennis Champion- ships at Singapore won four of the six major events including the singles title.
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