LIVERPOOL, England — Exotic Dancer collapsed and died of a heart attack on Thursday after finishing second in a race on day one of the Grand National meet.

The 9-year-old gelding finished 4› lengths behind Madison Du Berlais in the Bowl Chase at Aintree. Trainer Jonjo O'Neill said he collapsed on his return to the stables.

"Half an hour after the race he was just walking along in the stables when he just lay down and that was it," O'Neill said. "He was very tired coming back in off the track."

Exotic Dancer won eight of his 28 career starts, including the Lexus Chase at Irish racecourse Leopardstown earlier this season and finished third to Kauto Star at last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

In a dramatic Bowl Chase, even-favorite Denman, which won last year's Gold Cup, fell two fences from home while challenging Madison Du Berlais for the lead and sent jockey Sam Thomas tumbling out of the saddle.

"Denman's got a really nasty cut on the point of his elbow, but he seems OK," trainer Paul Nicholls said. "He has gone off for examination, so I will know more later. He didn't look too distressed."

The three-day Aintree meet, which includes the grueling 4-› mile Grand National Steeplechase over 30 tall fences on Saturday, has had many equine fatalities since it was first run in 1839, usually after falls. Nine years ago, four horses died on the opening day of the meet.

The National has been disrupted in the past by animal rights activists trying to stop the race. Security will be tight for the race, which is expected to be watched by 50,000 people at the course and millions on television.