28
Brought to you by
Saturday
29 March 2014
Brought to you by
Saturday
29 March 2014
Regional Polo
Habtoor deny
Exiles a first
win in Dubai
29
Alma matters: Oxford v Cambridge.
Hosts continue their British Polo Day winning streak
By Matt Monaghan
Habtoor Polo maintained their perfect winning record in British Polo
Day Dubai events as they easily saw
off latest challengers, the British
Exiles.
The two-part 2014 UAE tour
reached a glamorous conclusion in
front of 450 VIP guests as Sheikha
Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum’s team claimed an 8-5
win.
Six-goal handicapper Guillermo
Cuitino’s power across the park
made the difference, as his constant
rate of scoring proved too much for
the opposition in the Land Rover
Thesiger Trophy.
The two sides were meeting for
the first time in the luxurious surroundings at Dubai Polo & Equestrian club, after the hosts had
beaten the British Army in the five
previous runnings.
“It was really fun, it was a great
place to play with a lovely setting,”
Exiles captain George Meyrick told
Sport360°.
“We’ll come back and try to do
better next year.”
Habtoor swept to a 2-0 lead in the
opening chukka, aided by the nous
of Argentine veteran Cuitino.
The Exiles began slowly in last
week’s 8-6 defeat by Ghantoot Polo
in Abu Dhabi, and they could not
find a footing again as the hosts
dominated the early stages.
A thrilling five-goal second chukka saw patron Mohammed Khalaf
Al Habtoor play an influential role as
the South American duo of Cuitino
and Flaco Martinez moved Habtoor
further ahead of their British rivals.
In between, Jamie Morrison had
surged forward to open the Exiles’
account with Meyrick later exhibiting the technical ability which has
earned him a six-goal handicap to
keep his team in the hunt.
Sheikha Maitha added an ominous tone to the scoreline as her
royal touch helped push Habtoor
further ahead at the start of the
third period.
New hope was provided for the
Exiles as they moved back within
three strikes as Jacqui Hooper
opened her account with a tap-in.
This was soon extinguished as
Cuitino halted any prospect of a
rousing comeback in the final chukka as he finished off a dynamic run
in typically powerful fashion.
The teams then exchanged
strikes at the beginning of the
fourth.
Hooper fumbled home a scrappy
goal to make it 8-5 at the death, but
there was not enough time left to
cause any Habtoor nerves before
the referees called time.
“It was great to see two UAE
patrons come together to create an
excellent team to play the British
Exiles,” British Polo Day co-founder Tom Hudson said.
“It was an amazing day watched
by the British ambassador, consul
general and two British Members
of Parliament.”
Elsewhere, the Guards took the
first honours of the day on camelback as they thrashed Cavalry 5-1 in
the Hackett Trophy.
A similarly dominant display in
the Princes Cup saw Eton claim a
4-0 win against rivals Harrow in
the latest chapter of a 200-year-old
sporting rivalry between the United
Kingdom’s most prestigious feepaying schools.
Cambridge then waltzed to a
7-1 triumph in the Varsity match
against fellow British Oxford University, with Jeremy Pemberton the
Gaucho Cup’s star performer.
The 2014 British Polo Day series
now moves on to Morocco on April
19.
Royal touch: Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan (l) leant his support.
Right-honourable gentleman: British MP Nicholas Soames (l) was in attendance.
Fine fettle: Habtoor enjoyed an
impressive victory over the British
Exiles in Dubai with Sheikha
Maitha (r) prevalent throughout.
The finalists: Habtoor Polo (left) celebrate their win alongside beaten opponents, the British Exiles.
Morrison vows to return and win at next year’s series
By Matt Monaghan
England international Jamie Morrison has vowed to end the British
Exiles’ UAE drought in 2015 after
his side were beaten again in the
British Polo Day series.
“Next year we are going to do it,
I promise,” the 37-year-old told
Sport360°. “This time next year
we are going to have a win. It is
improvement. We are bridging the
gap. If we can get closer every year,
we can only get better.
“I am used to playing against
these guys in England. I think what
really makes the difference is the
horses.
“Both of our games have been
fantastic. It has been a real pleasure playing here, as we have been
looked after so well.”
“I give them lots
of respect for their
professionalism”
– Al Habtoor
British Polo Day Dubai patron
Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor
praised the visitors’ approach, and
said their methods could improve
polo standards throughout the
nation.
He said: “By inviting the British
professionals here, we learn from
them. Without the foreign professionals from across the world, our
level would remain low.
“The Exiles only had one day
with their horses, and that is difficult. I give them lots of respect for
their professionalism.”
For the Exiles, they faced a
number of challenges to reach top
form on their trip.
“One month ago I was playing
in St Moritz [in Switzerland] on a
frozen lake with a big round orange
ball,” Morrison said. “Suddenly you
go from -22°C to the warm weather
here with a tiny white ball. That gap
takes some getting used to as it is a
big difference, I can tell you that.”
Attention: The Cavalry v Guards clash kick-started the action.