12:54pm Tuesday 7th July 2009
By Diana Henderson
AN ENTHRALLING horse-power race will pit a polo pony against an Audi car at the British Beach Polo Championships.
The charity race will take place in the arena at Sandbanks, Poole this Friday and Saturday at 5pm to entertain the crowds and raise funds for the Heaton-Ellis Trust.
Racing driver Andy Toy will pitch a Poole Audi Q7 4.2 litre TDI, with the equivalent of 320 horsepower, against an Argentinean breed of polo pony ridden by a professional player.
The mighty V8 engine has the ability to accelerate from a standstill to 62mph in 6.4 seconds and has a top speed of 146mph.
In buying a ticket, attendees to the Daily Echo backed championships will be able to pick pony or car as the fastest around the arena circuit for the chance to win a prize.
“The Charity Horse Power Race is extremely exciting and adds an entertaining element to the event, whilst at the same time raising money for a worthwhile charity,” said David Kelly, managing director of Poole Audi.
“The exceptional power of a V8 4.2 litre engine may just give us the edge against the pony. After all, 320 horses should beat one pony power. We’re looking forward to an exciting race.”
All ticket sale proceeds from the race will go to the charity set up by David Heaton-Ellis, who mastermined the beach polo along with Johnny Wheeler, but died from Motor Neurone Disease in May. His hope that a cure could be found lives on through his trust.
Johnny from Sandpolo, organiser of the championships, whose title sponsor is Sunseeker, welcomed Poole Audi’s sponsorship of the race.
“Last year this feature made exciting viewing for all the spectators and I am confident a pony will be able to test the car to its limits at the 2009 event,” he said.
For more information and tickets visit sandpolo.com.
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