The second leg of Argentina’s Triple Crown is in full swing at the Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires, and the first week of games has produced some eye-catching scorelines.
La Dolfina set the pace
La Dolfina arrived as Tortugas Open champions. They won that final on 12 October, beating Ellerstina 16-14 and ending Ellerstina’s bid for a seventh straight Tortugas title. They have carried that form into Hurlingham. The 39-goal side opened with a 22-10 win over Chapaleufú and then beat Alegría 19-10 on Saturday 19 October.
That second game showed what the team can do. Alegría led 2-1 early, but La Dolfina turned it around, led 10-3 at half-time and were 19-6 up after seven chukkers, with Alegría scoring the last four goals. Adolfo Cambiaso scored nine, Juan Martín Nero four, and Pelón Stirling and Pablo MacDonough three each. Frederick Mannix top-scored for Alegría with six.
La Natividad and Ellerstina win on Tuesday
- La Natividad 18, Magual 13: La Natividad led 10-3 at half-time. Sapo Caset scored 13, eight of them from penalties, while Ignacio Toccalino scored nine for Magual.
- Ellerstina 17, La Aguada-Las Monjitas 10: Ellerstina led 12-6 at the break. Facundo Pieres scored ten, his brother Gonzalito five and Mariano Aguerre two. Paco de Narváez played in place of the injured Nico Pieres.
Not every game went smoothly. An earlier match between La Aguada-Las Monjitas and Chapaleufú was suspended after Nacho Novillo Astrada broke a collarbone and there were concerns about the state of the field. La Aguada led by a goal when play stopped.
What is coming
The semi-final line-up is shaping up as a proper test. On Friday 25 October, La Dolfina are scheduled to meet La Aguada, and on Saturday 26 October Ellerstina face La Natividad. These are exactly the matches the Argentine spring is known for, with every one of the favourites capable of winning.
Sources: POLO Magazine, 22 October, POLO Magazine, 19 October, Horse Times Egypt
