Dubai, Lechuza Caracas are Gold Cup finalists
By Herbert Spencer
The Albwardis’ Dubai and Victor Vargas’s Lechuza Caracas, both former champions, won their semi-final matches Thursday and will meet Sunday (18 July) to fight for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup in the final of the British Open Championship at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
Lechuza Caracas, Gold Cup winners in 2007, beat Jerome Wirth’s Enigma in the first semi, but not without a real fight. Enigma held the lead in the first two chukkas and the third was tied. Lechuza Caracas made a comeback in the second half, taking the lead and doggedly increasing their advantage to win 10-8.
Dubai had an easier time of it against the Hanburys’ El Remanso, winning their semi 10-6, with Dubai’s Adolfo Cambiaso and Pablo MacDonough proving too strong for their opponents who received a goal on handicap. El Remanso failed to score from the field in the first period, but managed a tie in the second before Dubai took over to dominate the rest of the match.
Sunday will be Dubai’s fourth Gold Cup final and they won in 2005 and 2001. Cambiaso will be looking to extend his seven-months running streak with Dubai and other teams: the 2009 Argentine Open, all 26-goal tournaments in the US including the 2010 Open and the Queen’s Cup here. On form, Dubai will be the favourites to win the British Open.