Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has been forced to give up plans to buy a property in Tuscany after being told he would not be welcome in Italy’s left-wing stronghold, it was reported today.

A racing syndicate will be celebrating a rags-to-riches story if diminutive bargain-buy mare Evening Scent (ridden by Barry Geraghty) can lift the €130,000 Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.