Dubai - Arabstoday
The Cartier team won their own Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge with a thrilling 10-9 victory over defending champions Desert Palm in the final. Held under the patronage of Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the seventh edition of the Cartier event went on all week and featured four pro-am teams at Desert Palm. Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the prizes, accompanied by Cartier chief executive Bernard Fornas, Dubai managing director Louis Ferla and guest Charlotte Casiraghi. Adriano Agosti received the trophy with team-mate Mohammad Bin Drai named most valuable player by La Martina, winning a pair of polo boots. Cartier\'s Juan Jose Brane received a La Martina saddle for the best playing pony from Casiraghi. The pony, Sybarita, is owned by Saeed Bin Drai and was ridden by Brane in the final chukka. After the main presentations, Shaikh Mansour and Ali Al Bawardy presented a cheque to Satish Seemar, director of the Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai, which is based at Desert Palm. 10-3 lead In the final, Cartier romped into a 10-3 lead by the end of the third chukka, only for a Martin Valent-inspired Desert Palm to race back into contention with six unanswered goals. But time was on Carter\'s side and the final bell rang to ensure they won the trophy. The two teams who didn\'t make it to the final had the opportunity to play for the Desert Palm Trophy. This went to Julius Baer, who beat CNN 8-6.