Stevie Bought A Horse LOL

[MacMan]

Sunday Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)

February 19, 2006

Gossip
ROS REINES

Stevie rockin' with the horse

HE had one of the most decadent marquees in the Birdcage at last year'sMelbourne Cup carnival. Now rock'n'roll mandarin Andrew McManus is embracing the equine industry.

He and '70s icon Stevie Nicks have just bought a $240,000 Flying Spur colt through Gai Waterhouse.

``Stevie fell in love with horse racing at the Melbourne Cup,'' McManus says.

``We talked to Gai about it, and when the Magic Millions were on she was able to secure a colt for us. The only brief we gave her is that the horse had to have a very good chance of being a champion.''

The pair haven't named their new acquisition, but punters will be expecting a very rock'n'roll moniker.

Meanwhile, Nicks is expected to visit the stables when she arrives in town to perform at an Entertainment Centre gigon February 25.

McManus -- who is nursing a shattered left ankle after almost hurling himself down the gutter with the bowling ball at his Christmas party -- has lots of other acts reaching these shores this year.

They include Wayne Newton and Status Quo with Deep Purple. But don't expect those ancient rockers the Rolling Stones. According to McManus, they're just too expensive to make a concert tour feasible.