By Alex Webbe
Both El Remanso (Ali Paterson, George Hanbury, Pelon Stirling and Guillermo Terrera) and Lucchese (John Muse, Mark Tomlinson, Javier Novillo Astrada and Jaime Huidobro) are coming off of wins in the 2013 Veuve Clicquot British Open for the Gold Cup at Cowdray Park. El Remanso qualified for the quarterfinals with an impressive 3-0 record while Lucchese (1-2) salvage some pride with their 9-8 win over Emlor.
It was a slow start, with neither team getting into an early rhythm. El Remanso scored the opening goal of the game, but that was all of the offense that the first chukker allowed. After the opening seven minutes of play, El Remanso led, 1-0.
The pace finally picked up in the second chukker. El Remanso added three goals for a 4-2 lead. Lucchese nearly stayed with them, adding two goals of their own, but trailed 4-2 at the end of the period.
Lucchese scored twice in the third chukker, cutting the lead to one goal. El Remanso was held to a single goal in the period but continued to lead, 5-4 as the first half ended.
Goals were hard to come by in the fourth. Lucchese managed the only goal of the chukker, extending their lead to two goals. Lucchese was unable to penetrate the El Remanso defense and fell behind, 6-4.
A reversal of fortune has Lucchese scoring three unanswered goals in the fifth chukker, stunning El Remanso and moving in front, 7-6, going into the final chukker.
Lucchese kicks it into overdrive in the final chukker of play at Cowdray Park to record a 10-8 win over El Remanso and even their record at 2-2. El Remanso (3-1) has already qualified for the quarterfinals, and one wonders how important today’s game was to them or their horses.
UAE 12, EMLOR 9
A cautious start had UAE (HH Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum, Jack Richardson, Lucas Monteverde and Pablo MacDonough) and Emlor (Spencer McCarthy, Joaquin Pittaluga, Nacho Gonzalez and Luke Tomlinson) feeling out the weaknesses of their opponents. Single goals were exchanged in the opening chukker for a 1-1 tie.
UAE got on track in the second, scoring three times to a single goal from Emlor. At the end of the second chukker UAE led by two goals, 4-2.
UAE’s attack picked up rhythm in the third period, netting them two more goals. Emlor got on the scoreboard with a single goal, but trailed at the end of the first half, 6-3.
Emlor scored the first goal of the second half, paring the UAE lead back to two goals, 6-4. The two teams exchanged goals for the duration of the period. At the end of the fourth chukker Emlor cut into the UAE lead, but continued to trail, 8-6.
Two goals from UAE went unanswered in the fifth as an oppressive defense silenced the Emlor attack. With one chukker left to play, UAE held a four goal, 10-6 edge.
Emlor made a run late in the game, scoring the first two goals in the sixth chukker and cutting the lead to two goals, 10-8. UAE bucked up, scoring three of the last five goals in the match for the 12-9 victory.
The win elevates the UAE record to 3-1 while Emlor falls to 0-4
Gold Cup play will continue on Wednesday, July 10 with last year’s British Open champion, Cortium (0-3), and Thai Polo (0-3) at noon. Sumaya (3-0) battles Talandracas (2-1) at 3PM.