Bin Drai beat Habtoor to clinch Sir Winston Churchill Cup 2021

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Another tournament concluded with an exciting finish on the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.

Four teams competed at the Sir Winston Churchill Cup 2021 with Hesketh/Mahra team against UAE Polo at the subsidiary final and Bin Drai Polo faced Habtoor Polo at the final match.

Hesketh/Mahra took the lead early and through halftime of the Subsidiary Final at 2 goals to 1.

Tariq Al Habtoor closed the penultimate chukker with a runaway goal and carved a 2-goal lead for the team. Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, patron of UAE Polo, narrowed the gap in scores early in the last chukker.

The scores stayed the same throughout the final chukker which sealed the win for Hesketh/Mahra Polo team at 4 goals to 3.

The final game had seen Adrian Laplacette from Bin Drai Polo team score the first and only goal during the first chukker.

Habtoor Polo displayed an excellent defensive play through the next chukker, thwarting its opponent's efforts to further their lead.

The excitement kicked up a notch as Justo Cuitino from Habtoor Polo tied the game in the last 30 seconds of the penultimate chukker.

Without missing a beat, the Bin Drai Polo team scored a flurry of goals in the last chukker and drastically paved the road to their victory at 4 goals to 1.

Martin Pedersen, Chairman of International Free Zone Authority — official season sponsor of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club — awarded the prizes to the winners.

Khalid Bin Drai was awarded the Most Valuable Player while Estrella, ridden by Juanji Diaz Alberdi was the Best Playing Pony.