In pictures: Desert horse-racing

This race is for six experienced horses - known as "half cracks".

It is run over 2,400 metres - two laps of the track.

"The horses here in Mali are very tough," says Mamadou Konaté.

"They can run all day long. They can bear a lot of work.

"They are well adapted to the very hot weather we have. And they are very robust."