The coronavirus has sent the world into a spin, as we know, and has become the platform for really weird, strange things on social media.
Especially on Twitter.
We had Post a Racing Pic without any comment which thousands of people all over the world did. And now we have the Raw Egg Challenge, although this one isn’t weird. The cause is poignant.
It was started to raise money for treatment for a little 8 months old Irish boy named Dan, who in December last year contracted an incurable disease.
So moving is his plight, the challenge has swept the United States and all of Europe.
And what is the challenge? Well, it’s simply (said cautiously) do the Rocky-thing of opening a fresh raw egg, placing it in a cup and drinking it down on camera. You do it after you’ve been nominated by someone else. If you succeed, you then nominate a few people. But you do so using the hashtag, #doitforDan.
Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien nailed it comfortably, alongside his son Donnacha, who threw his egg up. Champion British rider Oisin Murphy has succeeded in doing it and keeping his egg down, as well.
It is catching on, globally, amid a backlash of critics too (many pointing out the potential for salmonella poisoning) like an Aussie bush fire.
Frankie Dettori, who owns quite a few chickens, went to his back yard, grabbed a warm egg that was just laid, and he did it very easily.
And, last night, America’s greatest jockey, the now retired Gary Stevens, he who rode 3 x Gr 1 Kentucky Derby winners, and is today a Fox TV presenter with a massive fan base, was a called upon to do.
He did it seamlessly saying he’d done it many times while riding. Current superstar US jockey, Mike Smith, had done it two days ago and Stevens was one of his nominated challenges.
Well, Stevens moments after downing his raw egg, released his nominations, one of which was….Australia’s own star hoop, Mark Zahra.
“C’mon Mark Zahra, Down Under. Get with it. The challenge is on. Get with this raw egg challenge.”
The challenge for little Dan has raised $3.1million thus far.
No doubt if Zahra does it successfully, his nominations will mean it spreads quickly among the generous racing folk of Australia.
US trainer, Graham Motion, who has trained a Gr 1 Kentucky Derby winner, successfully handled the challenge, adding some style – drinking his straight out of his Derby Cup!
Last night also, Tom Magnier who runs Coolmore Stud, joined in and successfully did it – nominating: Chris Waller; Hugh Bowman and Glen Boss to take up the cudgel. Once they turn on their Twitter accounts this morning, they will see they’ve been challeneged!
Unfortunately, Dan was diagnosed on the 6th December last year with a rare genetic neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 and Scoliosis.
The life expectancy of an SMA type 1 child is 18-24 months.
Let’s go H. Bowman, C. Waller, M. Zahra and G. Boss!
