Abu Dhabi chase second major polo title

Abu Dhabi: In-form Abu Dhabi face a daunting task as the seek back-to-back titles when the H.H. The President of the UAE Polo Cup, the country’s most prestigious polo tournament, kicks-off at the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club on Wednesday.

Fresh from sweeping all before them to capture the Emirates Open for the second successive year in December, Faris Al Yabhouni’s team take on three strong rivals including UAE Polo Team, Desert Palm and ADS Securities, in the 18-goal handicap event.

While team patron, Al Yabhouni, has retained the services of exciting Argentinian professional Santiago Cernadas, the player of the tournament in the Open, and the consistent Santiago Gomez, he is joined by talented Alfredo Cappella Barabucci, a regular player on his foursome.

Barabucci has played in most of the major tournament around the world and boasts a handicap of +9.

Abu Dhabi play their first match against the Rashid Al Bawardi-led Desert Palm, which also feature +6 handicappers, Santiago Laborde and Bartolome Castagnila, and +4 handicapper, Camilo Castagnola.

The tournament opens with a game between hosts Ghantoot ADS Securities Polo Team and the UAE Polo Team, who are anchored by Argentinian superstar Pablo Pieres, one of the few +10 goal handicap players in the world.

Led by the mercurial Rashid Bin Drai, the team also includes Argentine pros Ignacio Acuna, who caught the eye during the Emirates Open, and Pablo Avalos.

Pablo, who is a member of the Pieres family, polo’s premier dynasty, has been playing professionally for the past 15 years. He brings a certain star quality to the tournament and marks him out as the player to watch.

Ghantoot ADS Securities have opted to play twin +8 goal handicappers, Guillermo Terrer and Facundo Sola, as they bid to win the prestigious title for the host club. The lead are led by patron Amin Badr El Din, and also include +2 handicapper James Oliver.

Held in the name of The President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and under the patronage of Shaikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club; Chairman of Emirates Polo Association, the two-week long event has attracted some of the leading polo players in the UAE and from around the world.

The format for the event features three rounds of qualification matches at the picturesque Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, with the grand final scheduled for January 19.

Fixtures

Wednesday, January 10

2.30pm UAE Polo Team vs Ghantoot ADS Securities Polo Team

4pm Desert Palm Polo Team vs Abu Dhabi Polo Team

Teams

UAE

Rashid Bin Drai 1

Pablo Avalos 2

Ignacio Acuna 5

Pablo Pieres 10

Desert Palm

Rashid Al Bawardi 2