Dubai Wins the Gold Cup as Barto Castagnola Builds Momentum Ahead of the Triple Crown
The international season is moving forward, and the calendar is beginning to approach one of the most anticipated periods of the year. But before the Argentine Triple Crown takes centre stage once again, the European season delivered another important chapter in Sotogrande.
Dubai Polo Team were crowned High Goal Gold Cup champions after defeating Sainte Mesme 16-9 in the final. The victory once again highlighted the form of Bartolomé “Barto” Castagnola, one of the central figures in the Dubai line-up, who scored five goals in the decisive match and finished the tournament with a total of 31.
The result also provides a strong conclusion to this stage of the European season before the international calendar moves back towards Argentina, where the countdown to the 2026 Triple Crown is already underway.
The Gold Cup, a historic stage in Sotogrande
The Gold Cup holds a special place in the international calendar.
First played in 1971, the tournament began in Sotogrande as part of a project that helped transform the Spanish region into one of the leading international destinations for the sport. Originally driven by Enrique Zóbel, the competition grew over the years and became one of the most recognised trophies of the European season.
Today, it forms part of the traditional International Summer Tournament, alongside the Bronze and Silver Cups, completing a sequence of competitions that brings together some of the best players and organisations in the global game.
The Gold Cup represents the conclusion of that journey and, for many teams, one of the final major opportunities of the European season to test themselves before the arrival of the Argentine spring.
A final that started at full speed
The match between Dubai and Sainte Mesme began with immediate intensity.
The opening chukker made it clear that neither side intended to wait. Seven goals were scored in just seven minutes, in a constant exchange of attacking plays that left Dubai narrowly ahead at 4-3.
Sainte Mesme remained firmly in the contest throughout much of the first half. The French side found an important reference in Carlos María “Toly” Ulloa, who finished the match with five goals and kept his team within reach during the early stages.
The score was level at different moments and the match initially suggested a much closer finish.
Dubai, however, gradually began to find more space and establish its rhythm before half-time.
The moment Dubai changed the match
The difference began to take shape from the second period.
Dubai increased the intensity of its game, used the width of the field more effectively and started to create increasingly fluid connections in attack. By half-time, the Emirati side had built a three-goal advantage, leading 9-6.
From that point onwards, the match began to move decisively in Dubai's direction.
The second half produced a far more dominant version of the team, with Barto Castagnola, Gonzalo Ferrari and Pedro Chavanne creating an attacking combination that became increasingly difficult to contain.
Ball movement, fast transitions and the ability to find space eventually broke through Sainte Mesme's resistance.
Dubai stretched the advantage to a maximum of eight goals before closing the final with a convincing 16-9 victory.
Barto Castagnola: five goals and an outstanding tournament
Barto Castagnola was once again one of the decisive names in the final.
The Argentine player scored five goals in the championship match, including a 60-yard penalty, and played an important role in guiding Dubai through the moments when the game began to open up.
As the highest-rated player in the line-up, Barto was one of the team's main references, combining his ability to create play with his attacking presence.
His influence extended beyond the final itself.
Castagnola finished the tournament with 31 goals, sharing the top position in the scoring table with Toly Ulloa. The number reflects the consistency he maintained throughout the competition.
Dubai's success, however, was also built collectively. The combination with Gonzalo Ferrari and the young Pedro Chavanne, who made a notable contribution to the campaign at just 16 years old, created an attack with different options and speeds.
A third title and four consecutive finals
The victory in Sotogrande also extends an important personal run for Barto Castagnola.
With the 2026 final, he reached his fourth consecutive High Goal Gold Cup final, having played the decisive match in 2023 with Dubai, in 2024 with ATL, in 2025 with Amanara and again in 2026 with Dubai.
The win also represents his third High Goal Gold Cup title, following previous victories in 2023 and 2025.
Regularly reaching the decisive stages of a tournament at this level represents more than one particularly successful season. Maintaining that presence across different teams and campaigns reflects an ability to adapt to different organisations, teammates and competitive environments.
In an international calendar where players constantly move between countries, horses and line-ups, that consistency is one of the most difficult qualities to maintain.
Dubai adds another chapter to the tournament's history
For Dubai Polo Team, the victory also carries particular significance.
The organisation is one of the most recognised names in the international game and has built a strong presence across the leading seasons in the United Kingdom, Spain and the Middle East.
With this victory, Dubai once again adds its name to the history of the Gold Cup, a stage where some of the sport's leading players and organisations have made their mark for decades.
The win over Sainte Mesme was the result of a team that responded to an intense opening and accelerated at the right moment.
In a final that began with a constant exchange of attacks, Dubai found a way to turn a competitive match into a convincing victory.
Sotogrande closes as Argentina comes into view
With the conclusion of the Gold Cup, attention across the calendar now begins to move towards Argentina.
The 2026 Triple Crown will take place between 22 September and 12 December, bringing the world's leading teams and players together once again for the three major Opens of the Argentine season.
The journey will begin with the 133rd Hurlingham Open, running from 22 September to 3 October.
The 86th Tortugas Open will follow, from 6 October to 7 November.
Finally, the season will reach its defining stage with the 133rd Argentine Open in Palermo, taking place from 10 November to 12 December.
Three tournaments, three stages and almost three months of competition at the highest level.
The next challenge
Dubai's victory in Sotogrande leaves a strong final image before the international calendar enters its next chapter.
Barto Castagnola now returns towards Argentina following a season marked by consistent appearances in major finals. The Gold Cup becomes another important moment in an international campaign that once again demonstrates his ability to compete and make a difference in some of the world's most demanding tournaments.
But the season does not end in Spain.
The Argentine spring is approaching, bringing with it an entirely different challenge. Hurlingham, Tortugas and Palermo will once again bring together the leading names in the sport in a circuit where consistency, pressure and the ability to maintain a high level throughout the season take on another dimension.
Sotogrande has its champion.
Now, the countdown to the Triple Crown begins.
