Saturday, May 23, 2009
Gulf News
Dubai: Rashid Al Habtoor scored two, but it was a last-gasp goal from Alejandro 'Piki' Diaz Alberdi that proved the gem as Al Habtoor Polo Team secured a hard-fought 10-9 win against Talandracas in the opening game of The Queens Cup 2009 at the Guards Polo Club.
Played under challenging weather, which fluctuated from pouring rain to sunshine throughout the chukkas, it was Alberdi's goal at the very last gasp that saw the Dubai-based team emerge the winners.
Al Habtoor entered the final chukka trailing 7-9, but fought well to equalise 9-9 with two minutes remaining. Going all out for the winner into extra-time, Alberdi powered his way through the rival defence to secure the winner.
The Queens Cup is one of the longest-established polo tournaments, and is played annually at the Guards Polo Club. The Queen first presented the trophy in 1960 and it has remained one of the most high-calibre competitions in the world.
Previous holders of the trophy include The Prince of Wales, with the Diables Bleus team, Urs Schwarzenbach and his Black Bears squad, and Adolfo Cambiaso, who won the title five times. The late Kerry Packer's Ellerston team, now run by son Jamie, are the current holders, having won a total of three times.
The tournament attracts the world's leading teams and internationally renowned players; household names from the world of polo jet in just to play for their patrons in The Queens Cup.
Since last year, Al Habtoor has sponsored the highly-competitive Royal Windsor Cup, also held at the Guards Polo Club.
Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.
