EVEN TOP gave trainer Mark Tompkins a confidence shaking scare just six days before the Epsom Derby by hobbling out of his box on Sunday with a poisoned near fore foot.

The colt represents Tompkins's best chance of landing Britain's Premier Classic after finishing a whisker away from Mark Of Esteem in second place in the 2,000 Guineas.

However, although this medical hitch would seem far from ideal, it is not going to hinder his chances on, Saturday according to the trainer assistant Phil Green yesterday. "We worked him on Friday and he went very well, but we discovered a bit of poison in his near fore foot on Sunday."

Green added. "It's a very common thing to happen, but we took the shoe off for a day and all is now well. As it happened, he was going to have an easy day yesterday anyway so the timing could not have been better. A bit of puss came out of the foot and he now has the shoe back on and will canter tomorrow it hasn't really altered his preparation at all."

Even, Top, a general 6-1 shot in most lists, has had just the one run this season, but was always expected to improve granted the extra half mile of the Derby.

There were no surprise withdrawals at the five day declaration, stage with all the well fancied horses standing their ground. However, the news that Mark Of Esteem, Mick's Love, Nash House and nine others would be absentees was confirmed leaving a maximum of 22 to enter the stalls.

Frankie Dettori announced at Leicester yesterday that he was almost certain to partner the John Gosden trained colt Shantou in the race.

Bookmaker reaction was understandably subdued with William Hill shortening Shaamit and Ladbrokes reporting support for Roger Charlton's colt Mystic Knight