never say die made good physical progress over the winter, but showed little improvement in his first two starts. he finished second in the union jack stakes at aintree racecourse and then finished unplaced in the free handicap at newmarket in april. on his final trial race for the derby, never say die returned to newmarket and was moved up in distance for the newmarket stakes over ten furlongs. ridden by manny mercer, he took the lead a furlong out but was overtaken in the closing stages and finished third to elopement and golden god.