Zedan wins the McLaren Cup
Zedan is the champion of The McLaren Cup after defeating Bin Drai Polo in the final by 10 goals to 9.
The first trophy of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series came to an end after an exciting polo day at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club.
Two great finals were held this afternoon with the Hildon Cup, won by Habtoor Polo after defeating Mahra by 10-9, and the McLaren Cup achieved by Zedan.
The final day of the McLaren Cup started with a great match between Habtoor Polo and Mahra. Patron Mohammed Al Habtoor ́s team achieved the Hildon Cup after a thrilling match with Guillermo Cuitiño scoring the winning goal in the final seconds of the game.
The winning goal of Cuitiño came after saving a goal in his own goalposts, with a fall included, and after a great individual action running through all the field.
Match progression:
Habtoor: 3-2/ 5-2/ 6-7/ 8-9/ 10-9
Zedan, with ten goaler Pablo Mac Donough playing at great level, achieved the McLaren Cup, the first trophy of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2016, after defeating Bin Drai by 10-9 in another great polo match.
Both teams played five chukkers of great polo level and full of action.
Bin Drai had a great start to end the first chukker leading by 3-0. But a quick reaction of Zedan, with Mac Donough leading his team and scoring consecutive goals, put patron Amr Zedan ́s team in the lead from the second chukker till the end.
Despite the great performance and effort of Bin Drai until the very end, Zedan always kept a two goal gap to control the game and finally achieved the well deserved McLaren Cup.
Pablo Mac Donough was the MVP of the final and also the top scorer of the McLaren Cup with 27 goals (today he scored 8). His mare, Paloma, was the BPP of the final.
Match progression:
Zedan: 0-3/ 5-4/ 6-5/ 9-6/ 10-9
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Dubai Polo Gold Cup, P.O. Box 25444, Dubai, U.A.E.
Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (Dubai Open), an 18 Goal Handicap competition, enters its seventh year under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The tournament is now the highest handicap in the UAE.
The Dubai Open has been split into two tournaments. Starting with the McLaren Cup 2016, which runs from Friday January 22, 2016 to Friday February 5, 2016. The second tournament, the Julius Baer Gold Cup, commences on Friday, February 19, 2016 to Friday March 11, 2016.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series is the fourth-largest tournament of its kind after Argentina, the US and the UK. First founded by Mohammed Al Habtoor in 2009, the tournament is the premier regional polo competition of the year, and attracts VIPs, society figures, and senior corporate executives from across the GCC. It has grown in tandem with the city of Dubai and since 2012, it is the only tournament in the UAE to be recognized and certified by the World Polo Tour (WPT).
It is played under the banner of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), with the Gold Cup being played according to HPA rules and the provision of umpires is managed under strict international supervision by the HPA.
The participating teams will host some of the top-ranking World Polo Tour players, including Pablo Mac Donough, the 10-goal superstar and two-time ‘Triple Crown Champion with La Dolfina’; Lucas Montverde (9-goal handicap); Guillermo Terrera (8-goal handicap), Alfredo Cappella Barabucci (8-goal handicap) and Alejandro Novillo Astrada (8-goal handicap) and many others. The Dubai Polo Gold Cup will be held at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club in Arabian Ranches.
Six polo teams will be participating in the McLaren Cup 2016 18-goal handicap:
Mahra Polo – Patron: Rashid Al Habtoor
Bin Drai Polo Team – Patron: Saeed Bin Drai
Habtoor Polo Team – Patron: Mohammed Al Habtoor
UAE Polo Team – Patron: Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Zedan Polo Team – Patron: Amr Zedan
Habtoor Wolves Polo Team – Patron: Ahmed Mohammed Al Habtoor / Khalaf Rashid Al Habtoor