Last week the Merrill Lynch Private Bank/Stapleford Park team competed for the Subsidiary Finals Cup in the 2008 City Polo Championships.

Captained by Shuif Hussain, with Tomas Heguy, Federico Speciale and Jo North, they were unfortunately beaten by Fox-Davies Capital 9-3, but it was nevertheless a tremendous match to watch.

The day began with breakfast in the Georgian Restaurant at Harrods, which opened early especially to welcome the City Championship guests, including CEOs and board directors of the City. Further enlivened by mini bottles of Champagne Pommery, the 350-strong crowd piled into five Routemaster buses and were driven to the privately owned lawns, Coworth Park in Berkshire.

The first match was a contest for the Plate Cup, in which ING Real Estate won against Mirabaud & Cie by 10-3.

During lunch, Marcus Brigstocke, the Radio 4 broadcaster and stand-up comedian, was joined onstage by Glen Gilmore, captain of the Australian polo team. The two entertained everyone in the marquee with a very funny explanation of the rules of polo and it was established that a chukka was not, as Marcus thought, a term of endearment.

The Finals was a nail-bitingly close match between Barclays and investment managers Millennium Global Investments with commentators, BBC’s Matt Chilton and Glen Gilmore, becoming increasingly excited by the game. At full-time, the score was 8-8. In extra time the ‘sudden death’ goal was scored by Millennium’s Young England player, Max Charlton. Glen Gilmore and Robert Allton of Coworth Park called it “the most exciting four-goal match we’ve ever seen”.

Simon Jacot de Boinod of City Championships said: “To have so many people enthuse about the day is very rewarding. The financial community love the competition and the chance to entertain their clients. Congratulations to David Lewis and Michael Huttman’s Millennium team!”

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