Two days to go in 2016 Mongol Derby

It's not Epsom, Royal Ascot or the Cheltenham Festival, but the Mongol Derby is producing a narrative to rival other equestrian tests.

On day six of the 1,000km race David Redvers and Peter Molony of Qatar Racing clung on to the tails of the leaders, digging deep to keep alive slim hopes of victory. When the race was brought to its mandatory overnight halt at 19.00 hours local time Redvers was eighth and safely ensconced in Urtuu (station) 21 for the night, while Molony was camping out between U20 and U21.

Ahead of them a trio of women riders led the field having stopped for the night between U22 and U23 but only a few kilometres ahead of another pair of competitors, while America's Courtney Kizer stayed overnight at U22, and Australian Shannon Nott was holed up between U21 and U22. All these riders are expected to reach the finish line on Thursday, but any time penalties they gain for needing assistance or by reason of veterinary error will be handed out at the Urtuu incurred.

Gareth Jones and Chips Broughton, who are part of the Qatar Racing team, stayed at U18.

Sheikh Fahad, who along with Qatar Racing's Kevin Darley, was forced to retire, has spoken of his experience, although in a Tweet today he said: "Great experience in Mongolia riding @mongolderbylive but unfortunately had to retire after 500km due to a fractured back. Still rooting on QR team @dredvers and @Pmolony1Peter."

The Sheikh, who only turned to riding seriously 18 months ago, had earlier said: "It was an experience I'll never forget. We had some pretty bad weather, they said worse than usual, and there were some tough times, but it was amazing countryside and a wonderful thing to be a part of.

"If you had told me two years I ago I would be riding wild, virtually unbroken Mongolian ponies across plains and mountains for 500km and sleeping on the ground I would not have believed you. Everybody fell off more than once and I would have carried on if I could. Unfortunately, my back started giving me problems relatively early on and then I damaged my hip, so I had to call it a day, along with half a dozen others that same day. Part of me is jealous of the guys still going, although I am looking forward to a bed and a bath."

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 the three leaders at their overnight camp - Venetia Philipps, Marcia Hefker-Miles and Tatiana Mountbatten: Dunwoody/The Adventurists