Stevie's Horse Illume wins its first race!

Herald Sun, February 16, 2009

LEGENDARY US hit maker Stevie Nicks has had her first taste of success as a racehorse owner.

Nicks part-owns a thoroughbred with leading promoter Andrew McManus, his wife Jacqueline and business partner Patrick Prendergast.

The speedy four-year-old gelding, called Illume, won his first race at Wyong in New South Wales on Thursday.

Illume was bought as a yearling for $240,000 in 2005, and has had just four starts.

Originally trained by Gai Waterhouse, the horse had to be spelled for 18 months after contracting equine influenza during the outbreak that closed racing in Sydney in 2007.

Now trained by John Hawkes, Illume started a short-priced favourite when it saluted in the 1000m maiden handicap at Wyong.

McManus said he called the famed Fleetwood Mac singer after the race.

``She is pumped. She is wrapped,'' he said. ``She is getting a photo done and has been watching a replay of the race on the internet.''

Nicks was bitten by the racing bug when she was a guest of McManus's at the Melbourne Cup in 2005.