Undefeated teams fall in British Open leagues
By Herbert Spencer
Two previously undefeated powerhouse teams lost to less favoured sides Tuesday in the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
In the first match on Cowdray Park’s Ambersham 2 ground, Prince Bahar Jefri’s Richard Mille edged Ali Albwardy’s Dubai 10-9. It was this year’s first defeat for Gold Cup titleholders Dubai, led by 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso, reducing them to a 3-1 win/loss record in Group C.
Richard Mille, spearheaded by 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough, stands at 2-2 in the group.
In the day’s second match, Nick Clarke’s Salkeld narrowly beat Jean-François Decaux’s La Bamba de Areco 10-9. La Bamba de Areco, the only team with two 10-goalers, the Pieres brothers Gonzalito and Facundo, are now positioned 3-1 in Group A. Salkeld have a 2-2 record in this group.
Tuesday’s two upsets leave only two teams undefeated in the tournament: Stefano Marsaglia’s Piaget (Group A) and Oussama Aboughazale’s Sumaya (Group C). They play their last league games Wednesday and Thursday, after which the British Open moves into the quarter-final stage on the weekend.
Despite their losses, Dubai and La Bamba de Areco are still favoured to play in the quarter-finals.