BANGALORE: Heavy early evening showers on Thursday accompanied by a strong gust of wind flattened the giant screen set up for telecast of the Derby weekend races at the Bangalore Turf Club.Rather loosely erected on a huge wrought iron stand just behind the winning post, facing members and public enclosures, the screen came crashing down but fortunately, no one was caught under it as people working around it had taken shelter at a distance from it due to the rain. A worker, who had just passed the structure after fetching some water for his colleagues, escaped narrowly.It happened around 3.00 pm but if it had fallen an hour or so late, there might have been some casualties.For at that time, many members walk around and horses are brought out of the stables for rolling in the rings all over. It surely was providential escape for many who frequent in the evenings.The Bangalore Derby was postponed from July 10 to July 17 following a snap strike by the syces in support of their demands.Now with that matter having been settled and the BTC all set to conduct the weekend's racing, comes hits 'strike' from above. The giant screen was erected by a company known as Arrow Display at a cost of about Rs 1 crore. Chandra Mohan, the Manager of the company who was on the spot, told The New Indian Express that the chances of the equipment being set right for telecast of races on Saturday and Sunday are remote."We will have to see the extent of damage that the equipments have suffered. They are all very expensive and I cannot say if they can be set right so soon. We will do our best but chances of races being shown on the giant screen this week are surely not much," Mohan gave details.Meanwhile, BTC Secretary Nirmal Prasad, already under a lot of stress and strain the past week, was a disappointed man."It is very unfortunate. Though the sponsors UB Group, are bearing the entire costs of erecting the giant screen, it would have been an added attraction on Derby Day. I hope they are able to set it right by then," Prasad said.The mishap, coming close on the heels of the syces' strike, has in a way sent alarm bells ringing at the Bangalore Turf Club.Will the weather Gods show mercy? Is the 2011 Derby jinxed?These are the questions worrying the authorities at the Turf Club.
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