Al Habtoor win HH President of the UAE Polo Cup opener
Prestigious tournament off to action-packed start as Bin Drai wins second match of Day 1
Prestigious tournament off to action-packed start as Bin Drai wins second match of Day 1
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club, the 14th tournament of HH president of the UAE polo took place on January 14, 2014.
HH President of UAE Polo Cup is organised by Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club and presented by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)ADCB. At the first day of this event, Al Habtoor polo and Bin Drai polo teams were winners of their respective matches on the opening day of HH President of the UAE Polo Cup, presented by ADCB. While Al Habtoor polo beat UAE Polo in the first match of the tournament, Bin Drai polo scored a thrilling win over Ghantoot Al Basti polo in the day’s second match. Both the games were played on the lush grounds of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club.
Raul Laplacette, one of Bin Drai’s players, scored 4 goals, helping his team to a keenly-fought victory. In the Al Habtoor Polo versus UAE Polo game, Guillermo Cuitino was the star player, scoring 3 of his team’s 6 goals, sealing their win. Raul Laplacette, Juan Zavaleta and Manuel Llorrente were the other scoring players in the game between Bin Drai Polo and Ghantoot Al Basti, hitting 4, 4 and 2 goals for their teams respectively.
Al Habtoor Polo Team took lead when Francisco Elizalde scored the opening goal in the first chukker, while his opponent team scored its first goal with help of Ollie Cudmore strike. With the score at 4-2 going into the final chukker, Al Habtoor Polo held on to its lead to finish the match at 6-5.
Al Habtoor polo palyer, Habtoor Al Habtoor, said his side would now be focusing on their next match.
“This was exactly the start we needed. UAE Polo Team is a very good side and gave us a close fight. I knew it was not going to be easy, but we stayed focussed and came together very well as a team,” said Habtoor Al Habtoor. “After this winning start we hope to keep the momentum going and be victorious in our next matches as well.”
Bin Drai Polo Team enjoyed the evening’s second win with a 6-5 victory over Ghantoot Al Basti Polo, with both teams playing an attractive game in the course of four intense chukkers. Bin Drai Polo Team’s goals came in the first, second and fourth chukkers while their rivals struck back at regular intervals in the closely fought match in which both the teams matched each other goal for goal, until the goal of victory.
“It is fantastic to be a part of this tournament and win our first match. It was a tough game but we are pleased with our performance,” said Mohammad Bin Drai. “We know there will be no easy games, but we will make all the effort to make them go in our favour,” he added.
Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of GRPC, the HH President of UAE Polo Cup offers fans an exciting combination of high quality polo and family fun. Qualification games began today with the Grand Final on January 24. On the last day of the event there will be two matches including the final.
The tournament is being played under HPA rules. All games consist of four chukkers except the Grand Final match, which will have five chukkers. The top two Desert Palm Polo Teams from each pool will play the semi-finals: the 1st Desert Palm Polo Team from pool A against 2nd Desert Palm Polo Team from pool B, and 2nd Desert Palm Polo Team from Pool A against 1st team of Pool B. In the event of a tie score, the winner will be determined by golden goal.
In addition to the elite and exciting matches, Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club invites the public to enjoy wide-ranging entertainment for all ages, including shows supported by Sheikh Mohammed Sports and Physical Fitness Programme, Dubai Police dog show, a performance by the Abu Dhabi Police Band, military sky dive show and a show by the UAE National Aerobatic Team – Al Fursan. The children’s entertainment playground will offer a variety of thrilling activities for the young ones.
The club’s doors are open to public for free during the tournament days, including the Final Day on January 24, from 1.00pm.
Following is the schedule of events for the Final Day:
1:00pm Gates Open
1:00pm to 3:00 pm Family Recreational Activities
3:00 pm Subsidiary Polo Match
4:15 pm National Anthem by Abu Dhabi Police Band
4:30pm to 5.00pm UAE Parachute Team Show, UAE National Aerobatic Show by Al Fursan and Horse March Exhibition Show
5:00pm Presentation Ceremony
5:15pm Final Polo Match
6:30pm Prize Distribution Ceremony and Public Raffles Prizes
The club’s doors are open to public for free during the tournament days, including the Final Day, from 1.00pm.
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