Enigma tops Talandracas in British Open league
By Herbert Spencer
Jerome Wirth’s Enigma defeated Edouard Carmignac’s Talandracas 12-8 in their Sunday league match in the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
The last time these two French-patroned teams met last month, Talandracas triumphed, winning the prestigious Queen’s Cup 9-8 in extra time. This time it was Enigma, spearheaded by 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero, that prevailed by a comfortable score.
Enigma held Talandracas scoreless in the first chukka and took the lead 2-0 with goals by Nero and Matias MacDonough. Second chukka goals by MacDonough and patron Wirth were answered by points from Talandracas’s Lucas Monteverdi and Milo Fernandez Araujo leaving Enigma up 4-3.
Each team scored once in each of the third and fourth periods, with Enigma staying ahead 6-5. Then Wirth’s side heavily outscored their opponents in the final two chukkas to gain their 12-8 victory.
MacDonough was high scorer for Enigma, accounting for seven of their goals including three in the last chukka.
In the day’s other league matches, Adrian Kirby’s 1870 edged Harold Link’s Thai Polo 11-10. Kirby’s New Zealand star, John Paul Clarkin, was back in action after injury. Ahmad Aboughazale’s Sumaya comfortably beat Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor 13-7.