A planned £25m (€37m) takeover of a security firm in the North at the centre of a hospitality corruption investigation has been scrapped, it was revealed tonight.

“Faugh-A-Ballagh”

Baracouda runs in Britain for the second time this season when he turns up for his annual tilt at the Cantor Sport Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow and it is difficult to imagine this amazing stayer being beaten.

HE gives his supporters the occasional fright but there is no doubting that Baracouda is as fine a hurdler as there has been over the last few years.