Dubai: Polo and the Al Habtoors have had a long association. Not only in the UAE but beyond as one of the most important UAE families seek ways of spreading the word on the UAE and what it has to offer using the king of sport as its medium.
This week's Dubai Gold Cup is a step in the same direction. Conceptualised by Mohammad Al Habtoor, the Threadneedle Dubai Gold Cup has some of the best polo professionals and horses taking part at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club. Here Al Habtoor shares his passion for the sport and how he wants to see this event rank alongside others such as the Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai Tennis Championships and the Dubai World Cup.
Gulf News: How important is an event like the Threadneedle Dubai Gold Cup?
Mohammad Al Habtoor: By itself this is an important event simply because this is a Gold Cup. There may be two or three Gold Cups held all over the world, in England, in Spain and at Palm Beach. And now we have Dubai attached to this list.
What's different this time?
In the past we've had some of the top teams come and play here. The tradition has been that they came and played with our horses and mares and then moaned that they lost because of the horses. So this year we allowed every team to bring along their own pros and their own horses.
What was the concept of having a Gold Cup here?
In Dubai, we have been known to organise top level events such as the Dubai World Cup, the Rugby 7s, the Dubai Tennis Championships, the Desert Classic Golf, etc. And we thought we need to have a polo event that could match or be equivalent to these big events. Our polo cup has been appreciated and well received by the polo fraternity. There are people from as far as New Zealand and Australia who have travelled to be with us here.
Where does a tournament like this one fit in the current scenario of Dubai during the global economic downturn and crisis?
I think we are portraying the right picture about Dubai through this tournament. The media always likes to highlight negative stories. But we want to use this event to project Dubai in a positive way. People have this impression that Dubai is empty and I think this event will go a long way in correcting this misconception. They go to a restaurant and find there is no place to sit or they go to a mall and find they can't even move around due to the crowds.
Would you tag this along with a charity here?
No. This is a purely polo tournament like the Queen's Cup or any other Gold Cup.
You are playing on home turf. Who would the favourite be?
This is a 12-goal handicap Cup. The rest of the teams have more experience than us though we are the home team. They are always playing the high goal tournaments around the world such as the Queen's Cup in England or in Argentina. No doubt my team players have done these high level tournaments. I have done some medium goal tournaments, but not as much as the other patrons. Considering all this, all teams are in with an equal chance of winning the Cup next Friday.
So there won't be any clear favourite?
No, I don't think so. Each team has an equal handicap, so all of us go as per our capability to play on that day.
When it comes to horses and players… what needs to be the equation?
Let me give you an example. If there is a 10-goal professional who does not get a super horse then he will not perform at ten. And similarly, if a zero handicap player goes with a high-quality mare from Argentina then I can play at a higher level. The horses make a huge difference and that's why the teams have been allowed to bring in their own quality horses for the tournament.
Any sort of pressure to win this weekend?
This is not going to be easy at all. Six teams in one week is a bit too much for polo. The horses won't get time to rest. In England it is different as the tournament is played over one month, so the horses can be rested. We have the pressure on us for sure and this is good as it can help us perform at a higher level.
What are your long-term plans?
We have a three-year contract with our main sponsor, Threadneedle. The next two years will be a gradual improvement in the level of the competition and we already have ten teams confirmed for next year. But we still have to decide whether it will be eight or ten teams. Our work for next year has already started. There will be two teams from Ghantoot participating and the handicap will be 15 goals and the year after will be a high-goal tournament.
