| 12 February 2021, Dubai, UAE: The second tournament of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series declared its new champion on the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. With a total of eight participating teams, the tournament concluded with Bin Drai Polo team against Altamira Polo team at the Subsidiary Final and, UAE Polo against Battistoni at the Final.  Bin Drai Polo team had taken the lead early with two goals from Rashid Bin Drai. Altamira shortened the gap in scores by the end of the second chukker with goals from Santos Iriarte and Guillermo Cuitinho. However, Bin Drai carved a two-goal advantage by the end of the penultimate chukker which was enough to seal the win at 5 goals to 4. (Photo: Tony Belot Photography) Match Progression: 2 – 0 | 3 – 2 | 5 – 3 | 5 – 4  The Final Match saw two teams rush to score the first goal on the first chukker with Tomy Iriarte breaking the lead for Battistoni Polo team on the next chukker. This initial lead was beaten with three consecutive goals from Benjamin Panelo shifting the lead to UAE Polo team by halftime. The penultimate chukker saw excellent goals from both teams courtesy of Rashid Al Abbar for UAE Polo and two back to back goals, mid-field, from Raja Abuljebain for Battistoni. With a two-goal lead at the beginning of the last chukker, Battistoni raced for the win. However, the penalty shot from Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the last goal from Lucas Monteverde Jr. closed the game with a 3.5 goal lead for UAE Polo and ultimately winning the Polo Masters Cup 2021. Match Progression: 0 – 0 | 3 – 1.5 | 6 – 4.5 | 8 – 4.5 Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group awarded the teams with Raja Albujebain as the Most Valuable Player and Cynthia, ridden by Benjamin Panelo, as the Best Playing Pony. (Photo: Khalil Ali/ Shine TV) The Polo Masters Cup 2021 is sponsored by Al Nahda Contracting & Trading Co. Ltd. – waterproofing and coating specialists since 1972. Al Nahda Contracting & Trading has completed over 3,000 civil works projects and thoroughly understands the needs of contractors, consultants and clients working meticulously to ensure that the correct systems and designs are utilized at all times. ABOUT THE DUBAI POLO GOLD CUP SERIES Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series was founded in 2009 by Mohammed Al Habtoor, patron of the Habtoor Polo team. Growing rapidly every year, the Gold Cup (Dubai Open) was recognised by the World Polo Tour (WPT); in January 2014, the WPT committee credited the Gold Cup tournament as the highest competition in terms of points within the WPT Challenge Cup category, elevating it to 50 points for the winner. 2015 marked the first time ever that the WPT upgraded the Gold Cup Tournament from ‘Challenge Cup’ to the highly coveted ‘WPT Cup’, resulting in winners receiving 60 points. In 2017, the tournament was moved up to WPT Championship Cup – the highest competition point-wise, awarding its winners with 125 points. The Silver Cup is ranked under the WPT Cup category, with 60 points for winners and the Dubai Challenge Cup falls under the WPT Challenge Cup Category, awarding its winners with 10 points. Dubai Gold Cup Series is proud to be the only tournament series with this exclusive accreditation in the GCC and MENA Region, ranking it among the best polo tournaments worldwide For more information: http://dubaipologoldcup.com/ |
