The Cartier Queen’s Cup eagerly awaits its grand finale. This Sunday, June 14, at Guards Polo Club in Windsor, Aureus and Balanz Capital will face off for the title after both teams won their semifinals in extra chukkers. In addition, each side overcame significant setbacks to reach the championship match.
Aureus secured its place in the final after recovering from a four-goal deficit against La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal and claiming an 11-10 victory thanks to a golden goal from Zambia’s Jake Coventry. Balanz Capital, meanwhile, halted Dubai’s pursuit of a seventh Queen’s Cup title, rallying from 10-6 down to win 12-11, with Lorenzo Chavanne converting the decisive penalty.
The road to the final was far from easy for either team, yet both navigated it impressively. Aureus, unbeaten through the four qualifying matches, edged Gaston Polo Team 9-8 in the quarterfinals, with Mark Tomlinson deciding a tightly contested match in the closing stages. Balanz Capital, which also completed the preliminary stage without defeat, produced its best performance of the tournament against Ferne Park, winning 13-8. The partnership between Chavanne and Castagnola once again dazzled, just as it had during the first quarter of the year in the United States, where they captured both the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open while representing Pilot.
Aureus combines experience, quality and leadership. Team captain Mark Tomlinson, who won this tournament in 2009, provides guidance through both his play and his history with the competition. Argentines Diego Cavanagh and Teo Lacau contribute offensive firepower and the ability to control the tempo in tight matches. The pair played together during the 2025 Argentine Triple Crown and have successfully carried that understanding into the English season. Coventry’s influence has also been evident throughout the Queen’s Cup campaign, highlighted by the decisive goal that sent Aureus into the final.
The team’s run also carries an emotional dimension. Sunjay Kapur, the team’s founder and patron, passed away last year during a Queen’s Cup match, while his widow, Priya Sachdev Kapur, has accompanied the team throughout the tournament.
For Balanz Capital, Camilo Castagnola, Queen’s Cup champion in 2020, is the team’s driving force and one of the most decisive players in world polo today. He proved it again in the comeback victory over Dubai, taking control when the match appeared lost. Chavanne remains a constant scoring threat and a reliable penalty taker in the moments that often decide finals. Ned Hine, meanwhile, will look to emulate his father Andrew, who already knows what it takes to lift this trophy.
The final presents several intriguing matchups. Aureus is expected to rely on its collective play and the experience of its midfield to manage the tempo and potentially force mistakes from its opponents. Balanz Capital, on the other hand, will look to increase the pace and capitalize on the individual brilliance of Castagnola and Chavanne. Control of the closing stages, where both teams have demonstrated remarkable resilience, could ultimately prove decisive. For both Balanz Capital and Aureus, victory would represent the first Queen’s Cup title in the club’s history.
With the stands likely to be packed for finals day and the traditional atmosphere that Guards Polo Club provides, both teams arrive in peak form and with compelling credentials. On Sunday at 3:30 p.m., the Queen’s Cup will once again crown one of the world’s best teams with a title that every polo player dreams of winning at least once in a lifetime.
