The Bangash Bhansali horse polo team has been celebrating after their victory in the 2023 Dubai Challenge Cup Final at the Al Habtoor Polo Club, where they defeated Habtoor Ankora Polo by 11.5 goals to 8.
A thrilling final marked the last match in the tournament, with the game following the subsidiary final in which Bin Drai Polo beat Orbis Mahra Polo by a score of 9-6.5, Gulf Today reports.
The Habtoor Ankora Polo began the final strongly with two early goals by Jose Riglos, before Tomas Iriarte responded with two penalty goals or Bhansali. By the end of the penultimate chukker in the contest, Habtoor Ankora were 0.5 goals ahead, but with Bhansali, Tomas Iriarte and two-goal Federico Von Potobsky all getting on the scoresheet, Bhansali rallied to win the cup.
Tomas Iriarte won the best player award for the tournament, while Camerera, ridden by Habtoor player Jose Riglos and owned by Mohammed Al Habtoor, won the best playing pony award.
Earlier, the subsidiary final had seen Orbos Hara Polo beginning the game with a 1.5 goal advantage, but while they extended that to 2.5 in the second chukker, Khalid Bin Drai’s hat-trick turned the match to put his side 4-2.5 up by the end of the second chukker, a lead they extended by three more in the third to leave their opponents with two much to claw back at the end.
Bhansali’s victory represents the conclusion of the last of the three-tournament Dubai Polo Gold Cup series.
Earlier this month, the IFZA Gold Cup was won by UAE Polo, who beat IFZA Habtoor Polo 10-7. Both sides had a six goal hero in Tommy Beresford and Bautista Bayugar respectively, with Berseford winning the most valuable player award.
The UAE Polo team also won the Dubai Silver Cup, beating Dubai Wolves 10-9, with Isidro Strada scoring six times.