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Stevie Nicks seeks mum's advice on Melbourne Cup
Nui Te Koha
01nov05

FLEETWOOD Mac singer Stevie Nicks is relying on her mother's race tip for the Melbourne Cup.

Nicks, 57, the original rock chick, spent 30 minutes on the phone yesterday to her mother, Barbara, surveying the field.
Barbara, 78, an avid horse race follower, and Nicks, three times guest of the Kentucky Derby, decided on the Michael Moroney-trained gelding, Xcellent.

"My mother wanted me to bet $25 across the board. I don't even know what across the board means," Nicks laughed yesterday.

Barbara is in Phoenix, Arizona, but Nicks, in Melbourne to reveal a tour and attend the Melbourne Cup Carnival, said: "The fun of this is to involve my mother. She is equally excited."

On Stakes Day on Saturday, Nicks has a race named in her honour.

The singer spent yesterday studying the Melbourne Cup and related events.

"I love being knowledgeable so I can talk about it," she said.

"I don't want to be a rock 'n' roll star dropping by to have my picture taken."

In a wide-ranging interview, the always-candid Nicks told why she would never marry and of fight to beat cocaine addiction.

"I was never warned about cocaine," she said.

"I was told, my whole generation was told, cocaine is recreational, it's non-addictive and it won't hurt you.

"But after being addicted to cocaine, I have a hole in my nose that's the size of a dime, and it could've completely screwed my voice. But nobody told me that.

"If somebody sat me down and said cocaine will put a hole in your nose, it could possibly cause a brain haemorrhage, and you will drop dead, I would never have done it."

Nicks praised British supermodel Kate Moss for going into rehabilitation to kick her cocaine addiction.

"God bless Kate," Nicks said.

"It is so hard to beat, and she is trying. Some people never do."

Moss was forced into rehab after British newspapers published pictures of her allegedly snorting drugs.

Moss lost millions of dollars in high fashion endorsements after the scandal broke.

Nicks will perform at Rod Laver Arena on February 18.

Tickets go on sale on November 15.