Thursday wins for Dubai (Martín Valent, Patricio Cieza, Luis Domecq and Adolfo Cambiaso) and HB Polo (Ludovic Pailloncy, Sebastian Pailloncy, Ignacio Toccalino and Pite Merlos) kept both teams undefeated with 2-0 records and solidly in competition for the final high-goal tournament of the Spanish polo season, the 2013 Hublot Gold Cup, at the Santa Maria Polo Club.
The Dubai contest was a showcase of the skills and horsemanship of Adolfo Cambiaso as he powered his Dubai team to a resounding 13-6 win over Scapa (Michael Redding, Jack Richardson, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Marcos De Paola), handing Michael Redding’s team its second defeat of the tournament.
Although carrying a disappointing 0-2 record, Scapa has had a proper showing in the course of the Spanish high-goal season. Scapa made it to the finals of the Bronze Cup before losing to Dubai by a 12-9 score, and lost in the semifinals of the Silver Cup to the eventual winner, Ellerston, in an 11-9 contest.
Dubai eked their way into the Silver Cup semifinals before bowing out as the result of an 8-6 loss to Royal Salute. It would seem that Cambiaso and company are eager to regain their early season form to end the season.
HB POLO 9, HALYCON GALLERY 8
Halcyon Gallery (Charlie Hanbury, Jota Chavanne, Guillermo Terrera and Max Routledge) seemed to be in control of their late day match with HB Polo, but gave up a late lead in the team’s 9-8 loss.
Halcyon Gallery seemed to be energized by the return of an injured Charlie Hanbury, but the glow didn’t last long. A tournament-opening loss to Dubai (9-7) and a second consecutive loss to HB Polo has them looking like a long-shot to make the tournament finals.
Halcyon held a one goal lead late in the game, but goals from Ignacio Toccalino and Pite Merlos in the final minutes of play lifted HB Polo to the 9-8 win.
Second round play in the 2013 Hublot gold Cup continues on Friday, August 23 with UAE (HH Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum, Jack Richardson, Lucas Monteverde and Pablo MacDonough) meeting Royal Salute (Petrus Fernandini, Alejandro Muzzio, Jaime Huidobro and Malcolm Borwick) at 5PM. Two 6:30PM games will feature Ellerston (Johnny Williams, Ali Patterson, Gonzalo Pieres and Facundo Pieres) and Ayala (Inigo Zobel, Guillermo Willington, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Jauretche) on one field while El Rosario (Alejandro Penafiel, Valerio Zubiaurre, Milo Fernandez and Salvador Ulloa) takes on Dos Lunas (A Sainzde Vicuna, Jason Warren, Diego Cavanagh and Tomas Garcia Del Rio) on another field. UAE, Ellerstina and Ayala will attempt to remain unbeaten while Royal Salute, Dos Lunas will be attempting to even their records with their first wins of the tournament.