40 kilometres to finish for Mongol Derby leaders

The world's most gruelling horse race will be won tomorrow (Thursday) and appears to be heading towards one of three riders.

Australian William Comiskey, the USA's Marcia Hefker-Miles and Canadian Heidi Telstad are now just 40km from the finish having reached final Urtuu 26 (a form of camp, pony changeover and watering hole). Barring accidents or lost ponies, one will have the honour of crossing the line first, although a dead-heat is on the cards.

Following a quiet start, Qatar Racing's David Redvers and Peter Molony have been creeping up the leaderboard by picking off rivals, without managing to reel in the pace-setters. They seem sure to finish in the top ten a terrific achievement given that 43 riders set out and 1,000km lay ahead. Riders must stop riding each day by 19.00 hours local time, and at close of play on day seven, Redvers, the head of Tweenhills stud in Gloucestershire and racing manager to Qatar Racing, had reached Urtuu 25, which is said to be about 120kms from the finish.

Molony, Qatar Racing's Ireland representative, is between U23 and U24, while Gareth Jones, the final Qatar Racing team member still riding, is at U20. Chips Broughton, who took a heavy fall two days ago and was said to have retired, subsequently carried on but pulled up today, joining Kevin Darley and Sheikh Fahad among 14 riders who have been forced to retire early.

Conditions for this year's race, particularly in terms of rainfall, are said to have been among the worst on record, and photographs of bedraggled riders have conveyed one of the many hardships they have faced.

For team Qatar Racing the effort will be worth it for the money they are raising to support injured jockeys. Please support our Mongol Derby riders in their efforts to complete the course and raise money for injured jockeys on both sides of the Irish Sea simply click on their 'Just Giving' page at the following link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/QatarRacing.

You can do so at any time during the race, and the page will remain open after it is completed.

Peter Molony is raising money for Irish Injured Jockeys you can donate to his charity via https://give.everydayhero.com/ie/mongol-derby-for-the-iijf

Photo of Peter Molony, riding with Australia's Camille Champagne Barguenquas: Dunwoody/The Adventurists