His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Fayona and Qatar Racing’s Mused were among the two-year-old fillies that registered victories in Deauville, France, and Kempton, United Kingdom, respectively yesterday.
The winter programme on the all-weather is well underway, and at Deauville, the 1900m Prix de Préaux, a maiden for fillies, saw Fayona pick up a thrilling victory.
The bay filly had debuted at the beginning of November at Angers where she was very green. However, she made a big step forward to battle out for victory in today’s contest.
Quickly away, Fayona took up the running under jockey Olivier Peslier in the early stages before being relayed by Shifting Wind. Always hugging the running rail, she then sat in the slipstream of the leader until the home straight. Taking time to find her stride, Fayona bravely fought back to come and take the lead on the line, winning by a head in front of Carmen with Shifting Wind in third. 
Fayona is trained by Henri-Alex Pantall and was bought as a yearling from her breeder, the Haras de la Louvière. She is from one of the founding families of the stud, that of Sahara Slew.
Across the channel, in Kempton, the maroon and gold silks of Qatar Racing Ltd were in the winners’ enclosure when the two-year-old filly Mused opened her scorecard in the British Stallion Studs EBF Median Auction Maiden Fillies’ Stakes yesterday.
Running on the all-weather surface over 1400m, Mused went quickly up to the lead and controlled the race from pillar to post. Under retained rider Cieren Fallon, she pulled clear inside the final furlong to cruise to a four-and-a-half-length victory in front of Vanitas.
Trained by Hugo Palmer in Newmarket, Mused was making her third start here having finished fourth on her debut in October and then second over a mile at Kempton a fortnight previously.
Mused is by Charm Spirit, who ran in the colours of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani before starting his stallion career. She is the second foal out of the Mount Nelson mare Stroll Patrol, who, herself, was a dual winner for Qatar Racing, and a sister to the smart Group 3 winner Yourtimeisnow, also by Charm Spirit.