The 2017 tournament is under way
Ten teams have entered the 2017 Cartier Queen’s Cup tournament and have been drawn into two leagues of five. The tournament started on Tuesday 23 May, and after two days of play the teams now all have a break until Saturday 27 May when La Bamba de Areco will face Sifani at 12pm and La Indiana vs Talandracas at 3pm.
On Day One El Remanso took on Talandracas in League One, winners of the tournament in 2011. El Remanso are the only all-Brit team in this year’s tournament, and the decision to ‘go local’ appeared to pay off as by half-time El Remanso led 8-3. Talandracas dragged the score back in the second half, with the help of 10 goaler and La Dolfina regular Pelon Stirling, but the final score rested 13-10 in favour of El Remanso.
Meanwhile in League Two, 2015 winners King Power Foxes took on Hilali Noordeen’s Sifani. Sifani were sporting an altered line-up with New Zealand star John Paul Clarkin replacing Jeronimo del Carril, making them a 22 goal team. It seemed to be a strong choice as Sifani led the scoring from the outset and by the end of the first chukka dominated 5-0. However the dominating force of King Power couldn’t be contained for long and in the end Sifani’s intial advantage had been eroded away, with Kind Power Foxes securing the win, 15-11.
Day Two saw a continuation of the polo powerhouses, joined by the two new Queen’s Cup patrons were in action – Alessandro Bazzoni’s Monterosso Polo Team were up first, followed by Christine Ricard’s Murus Sanctus. In League One last year’s runners-up, La Indiana began their 2017 campaign with force. Facing Bazzoni’s Monterrosso Polo Team, La Indiana dominated the first half, and although Bazzoni’s team featuring the Toccalino brothers did find their feet in the seond half, it was not enough to secure the win and in the end the score ran out 14-10 in favour of La Indiana. In League Two, all eyes were upon RH Polo, as the team featured Adolfo Cambiaso, who for the first time in more than a decade is not featuring on the Dubai line-up for the UK 22 goal – in fact there is a Dubai shaped hole in this year’s team roster. Murus Sanctus had the unenviable task of taking on RH Polo, fresh from their Prince of Wales Trophy victory at RCBPC last weekend. Murus Sanctus, patroned by Christine Ricard, the only lady player in this year’s tournament, were very much in contention and despite not scoring at all in the second, Murus Sanctus, featuring the latest member of the 10 goal club, Hilario Ulloa, were only down by two goals at half-time, 7-5. However in the fourth chukka, RH Polo unleashed their full might and a flurry of goals, with non in reply from Murus Sanctus. Althgouh Murus Sabctus managed five goals in the final two chukkas, it was not enough and RH Polo took the win 14-10.
Day 1 & 2 Teams:
King Power Foxes (22): A. Srivaddhanaprabha (1), C. Cooney (1), G. Pieres (10) & F. Pieres (10)
Sifani (22): H. Noordeen (0), J.P Clarkin (7), J. De Lusarreta (7) & G. Terrera (8)
El Remanso (21): C. Hanbury (4), O. Cudmore (5), J. Beim (6) & J. Harper (6)
Talandracas Polo Team (22): E. Carmignac (0), G. Caset (9), D. Stirling (10) & J. Hyde (3)
La Indiana (22): M. Bickford (1), N. Roldan (7), A. Merlos (8) & L. Tomlinson (6)
Monterosso Polo Team (22): A. Bazzoni (1), I. Toccalino (8), S. Toccalino (8) & M. Perry (5)
RH Polo(22): B. Soleimani (0), T. Beresford (4), A. Cambiaso (10) & R. de Andrade (8)
Murus Sanctus (22): C. Ricard (0), H. Ulloa (10), F. Sola (8) & D. Van Reenen (4)
Photograph: Adolfo Cambiaso helped secure RH Polo’s first win of the 2017 Queen’s Cup. By ©www.imagesofpolo.com