Hosts Ghantoot scored a 6-4 win over Emirates Polo Team to clinch the His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Polo Championship, their third trophy of the season.

A hat-trick by British professional James Harper helped Ghantoot rally from a 3-4 deficit in the third chukka to win this prestigious event. It was Ghantoot's fourth win in the six editions of the championship.

The championship was held under the patronage of Shaikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Emirates Polo Association and Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club (GRPC).

Immediately after the start, Tariq Bin Desmal missed an easy chance for Emirates. However, teammate Khalifa Al Hammadi scored in the very second minute after a fine run. Harper then ensured honours were even after the first chukka with his first goal.

Ghantoot hit form in the second session to score two good goals, one by Carlos Solari and the other by Abdullah Al Mehmoud off a Harper pass. With Juan Jose Araya scoring two quick goals to level the scores for Emirates, the game took another turn. Midway through the third chukka Emirates went ahead when Santiago Solari scored his 16th goal of the tournament. But Harper, the six-goal pro completed his hat-trick when he first fired home a 40-yard penalty and soon put Ghantoot ahead 5-4.

Ghantoot, who had earlier won the Emirates Open Championship and the Ghantoot Gold Cup Championship, played a tight final chukka. Carlos Solari, the elder brother of Santiago, made it 6-4 to power the hosts to their third title.

Saif Bin Hofan Al Mansouri, GRPC Board Member and Dr Taha Ahmad Taha, Managing Director of GRPC presented the trophies.

Meanwhile, the Shaikh Zayed Cup Polo Championship, to be held under the patronage of Shaikh Falah, will commence from March 26 with the participation of three more professional players, each having a seven-goal handicap.

Teams,/b>

Ghantoot: Nasser Al Shamsi (2), Abdullah Al Mehmoud (0), James Harper (6)and Carlos Solari (6).

Emirates Polo Team: Khalifa Al Hammadi (2), Tariq Bin Desmal (1), Santiago Solari (6), Juan Jose Araya (6).