Raul Laplacette received the Most Valuable Player award as Cartier won the prestigious Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge on Saturday.
Laplacette had been in fine form all week at the Desert Palm Retreat and Polo Club and was integral again as his side beat CNN 11.5-7 in the final.
CNN had again ceded half a point to their opponents on handicap and just as in their opening defeat against Saeed Bin Drai and Adriano Agosti’s team last Tuesday, they were unable to make up the gap.
The debutants, led by Amr Zedan and Faris Al Yabhouni, could not replicate the form that saw them beat UAE Polo Team and Desert Palm in the league stage.
The winning team patrons, Bin Drai and Agosti, received the trophy and winners’ prizes from Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who attended the event on behalf of the tournament’s patron, HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein.
Argentine Laplacette completed a fine week as he was handed the MVP honours following the final, while the horse the six-handicapper was riding, Cata, received the Best Playing Pony Rug.
Earlier, Desert Palm ensured there was some home cheer as they beat UAE Polo Team to secure the subsidiary Desert Palm Trophy.
The Desert Palm Trophy match went to form as Tariq and Rashid Albwardy’s side chalked up a second win of the week over the UAE, whose patrons were Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Mohammed Al Habtoor.
Desert Palm had beaten the UAE 11-6 on the opening day of the tournament last Tuesday.
Following the action, Sheikh Mansour received a cheque on behalf of The Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai from Cartier’s Regional Managing Director of Cartier Middle East, India and Africa, Laurent Gaborit.
