Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup 2014 Day 7
by Victoria Elsbury-Legg
1.00 pm Dubai v Thai Polo Group C Brooksfield
There was no doubting who the first chukka belonged to at Brooksfield today, as Dubai put 3 goals on the board with Thai Polo unable to score. Things did not improve throughout the game for the team in orange, especially as 2 goaler Tommy Beresford (playing for Dubai instead of Rashid Albwardy) demonstrated some exceptional skill when he was passed the ball on numerous occasions from the stick of 10 goaler Cambiasio, who once again flew the flag for Argentina as he truly inspired and led his men to victory on the pitch.
A good goal by Nic Roldan from a penalty at the beginning of the second and there was slight improvement for Thai Polo, with a 1 now on the scoreboard, but a Cambiasio nearside under-the-neck shot soon made it 4-1 to Dubai. With whistles filling the air and little open play throughout this chukka, combined with frustration being demonstrated by Thai Polo, a technical in favour of Dubai and it was 5-1.
With the score reading Thai Polo 2 – 5 Dubai in the third, a pass from Cambiasio ensured Beresford had a great chance to score, followed by another one from Cambiasio making it seven for the team in green & white as they went to half time.
Several more penalties and a score of Thai Polo 4 – 8 Dubai, then young Tommy Beresford took the ball off 7 goaler Juan Ambroggio, pushed 8 goal Nic Roldan out of his way and was the man of the moment as the ninth was scored for Dubai. This was a game well and truly going in Dubai’s favour, as Ali Patterson scored the 10th for his team in the fifth and despite some great play throughout the match by Tomas Garcia del Rio, he put a much needed ball wide.
Another goal impressively put through by the stick of Beresford and Dubai were ahead by 11-4. Making a great run to goal it looked certain that Roldan would score in the closing seconds of the fifth, but in the end it was patron Harald Link who added the final tap to the ball and put the goal across the line, making it 5-11.
Without a doubt, chukka 6 belonged to Garcia del Rio who scored 4 more goals for his team, but Cavanagh could not be stopped from putting another up for Dubai. In the final two minutes, it was again the turn of Harald Link to score, ensuring at the conclusion of the match it read Thai Polo 10 – 12 Dubai either side of the clock.
3.00 pm Black Bears v Enigma Group A/B Ambersham 1
Following their success over El Remanso last week, Black Bears rode onto the pitch determined once again to dispel any sceptics who might still be thinking about their 2014 Cartier Queen’s Cup games. A great nearside goal from Guy Schwarzenbach set up by O’Dwyer put them on the scoreboard straight away. A missed penalty put out to the left by Willington was followed up by a spectacular goal from Caset, bringing it level at 1 all in the first. Great teamwork by Clarkin and Sola meant chukka 2 started 2-1 in favour of the ‘Bears’ in Black. A tumble from Schwarzenbach occurred in the second, with John Paul Clarkin quickly reuniting him with his horse and an uncharacteristic shot from Sola (who many dub as one of the best penalty takers in the world) went wide. Quickly retrieving his form Sola scored a great goal, followed by one from Caset, then Clarkin ran the length of the pitch to score and it was Enigma 2 – 5 Black Bears moving into the third.
It was a question of discipline, or lack of it that seemed to keep the scores off the board for Enigma during the first half of the game, all of whom must have breathed a sigh of relief as Sola put another penalty wide. Once again a Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup match did not play out on the pitch as it would seem to on paper, as Black Bears continued to dominate over Enigma (a team knocked out of the semis of the Cartier Queen’s cup because they had the misfortune to come up against the might of Zacara). With the bell denoting half time, Black Bears maintained a very clear lead of 7 to Enigma’s 4.
Goal followed goal for a much stronger Engima in the second half, who at one point narrowed Black Bear’s 3 goal lead to only 1. An unfortunate ball to Clarkin’s face caused a pause in play, but thankfully it wasn’t enough to keep him off his horse for long. A great goal from Caset and Enigma ended the chukka 7 – 8 to Black Bears.
Rain might have stopped a match on another outdoor court in Wimbledon, but on the fields of Cowdray the polo ball was being passed around like Tennis. With several players sustaining knocks which caused brief dismounts and the unwanted sight of an ambulance on the pitch, the umpires were forced to confer with the goal judge to determine the outcome of an Enigma ball, the conclusion – no goal. Then, having led the entire game, suddenly Black Bears faced a 9 all score, which a talented Clarkin turned into double figures and a win in the final seconds.
Tomorrow’s matches:
There are no games scheduled for tomorrow.
Next game is Wednesday 2nd July – 2.00 pm Zacara v Halcyon Gallery Group C