EFG Bank Aravali beat Cortium in Cartier Queen’s Cup quarters
By Herbert Spencer
Karan Thapur’s EFG Bank Aravali defeated Adrian Kirby’s Cortium 11-9 in the first quarterfinal match for the Guards Polo Club’s Cartier Queen’s Cup Saturday to earn a place in the semi-finals.
Thapur’s side are newcomers to 22-goal competition, having moved up from medium goal this year. Cortium had come through the Queen’s Cup leagues undefeated, but had to change their line-up after Jaime Huidobro broke a collarbone and was substituted with Ignacio Laprida.
EFG Bank Aravali’s Eduardo Novillo Astrada scored twice in the opening chukka before Cortium’s Pablo Pieres answered with two to tie up the match. Cortium failed to score in the second period and EFG Bank Aravali went ahead 3-2. The first half ended with the game tied 5-5.
EFG Bank Aravali outscored Cortium four to two in the fourth period to go 9-7 ahead. Thapur’s side retained the lead 10-9 in the fifth chukka, then held Cortium scoreless in the last period, icing the cake with a final goal by Marcos Di Paola.
In the day’s second quarterfinal, the Hanburys’ El Remanso beat Nick Clarke’s Salkeld 10-7 to advance to the semi-finals.
The quarterfinals finish tomorrow when Prince Bahar Jefri’s Richard Mille meet Iñigo Zobel’s Ayala at Cowdray Park and Rashid Albwardy’s Dubai play Jerome Wirth’s Enigma at Guards.