Golden Slipper favourite King Kirk is dead after a freak incident on Tuesday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper drowned after taking fright while having a swim at the Randwick racecourse horse pool.

Earlier in the day King Kirk contested a 740m two-year-old barrier trial on his home track.

“Despite the efforts by his handlers, ATC (Australian Turf Club), staff and veterinarians, he sadly could not be saved.”

King Kirk, a son of first season stallion Ole Kirk, was the early $15 favourite for next year’s $5 million Golden Slipper after his impressive debut win in the Group 3 Breeders’ Plate.

Tuesday’s fourth placing in a barrier trial was the colts first public appearance en route to a tilt at January’s Magic Millions 먹튀검증가이드 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast, a race won last year by Waterhouse and Bott’s former star colt Storm Boy.

jockey Tim Clark proclaimed after the barrier trial that King Kirk “was going to be a force in the Magic Millions” in January.

The two-year-old was a $300,000 yearling purchase this year at the Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast.