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#doitforDan: Watch 12 racing stars completing the raw egg challenge to raise vital funds


  • During the coronavirus lockdown, a variety of challenges to raise money for charity and in support of the NHS have been sweeping across social media. But the latest one to dominate the world of racing is the #doitforDan raw egg challenge.

    The social media trend was started to raise vital funds for treatment for an eight-month-old baby called Dan from Ireland – who in December was diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 and Scoliosis.

    The challenge sees nominees open a fresh raw egg on camera, placing it in a cup and then drinking it. If you succeed, you then nominate more people using the hashtag, #doitforDan.

    To date (30 April), the GoFundMe page has raised just over 1.9m with the money going towards a ground-breaking treatment called Zolgensma, which is currently only available in the USA and costs $2.1m.

    “Thank you all for your support,” it states on the funding page. “We have now paused all donations as we have reached our target. You’ve done it for Dan. Thank you to each and every person who donated, fundraised and helped to spread to amazing story of Dan and his family. We will never be able to thank you all enough.”

    Here’s our pick of racing celebrities, who have so far accepted the challenge…

    Champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy

    Grand National and Gold Cup-winning trainer Gordon Elliott

    Champion National Hunt trainer Nicky Henderson

    Gold Cup-winning former trainer, showing judge and author Henrietta Knight

    National Hunt jockey Harry Skelton

    National Hunt trainer and H&H’s racing columnist Kim Bailey

    Former top jump jockey Wayne Hutchinson

    National Hunt trainer Philip Hobbs

    Flat jockey Hollie Doyle

    Ted Walsh, horse racing legend and father of former top jockey Ruby

    Master Irish Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien and his son Donnacha

    National Hunt trainer Alan King

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