Bookies had a great start to the holiday period with one of the biggest plunges ever seen going astray when Avancer failed in the Great Northern Guineas.

In addition the narrow defeat of Xcellent by Sir Slick in the Zabeel Classic (pictured) was a sensational result for the bookies. 

Michael Walker's win in the Hot Holiday Jocks Competition provided one punter with a return of $30,000 for a $10,000 bet at $3.00.

The bookies weren't overly unhappy with this result as David Walsh was the subject of a concerted nationwide plunge on opening which saw his opening quote of $14 slashed, only to narrowly miss out on taking the winner's prize. 

Punters came back big time on Saturday, December 29 when the most popular lay of the day ever Otaitai Jack scored in the first race at Ellerslie, a result which left the bookies licking their wounds for the remainder of 2007.

Although paling into insignificance other bad results on the day included Trudy Tee, Lady Cavalier and Irish Opera in the last event. 

The bookies had the final say for 2007 on Stratford Cup day with all three Final Field Winners -- Always Dreaming, Heza Gambler and Dancing Forever -- proving to be good results. 

New Year's Day dawned with punters getting away to a good start with the Mike and Paul Moroney runners Striptease and Tootsie winning the first two races at Ellerslie.

Bookies were able to reply when the heavily backed San Bernadino could only run third to Lady Alberton.

Red Square, Fiscal Madness and Imanaabaa also proved good results for the bookies.

The best result all day was the win of Pasta Post in the Gr II Don Ha City of Auckland Cup which in some small way helped the bookies erase the memories of Otaitai Jack. 

At Hastings punters had a field day with the heavily backed favourites Lodovico and Maximum Star being successful. 

January 2 was a good day for the bookies with several well backed runners being defeated, including Spring Dancer, Diamond Schwarz and Prized Punch at Tauherenikau and I'm Isaac, Ringburner and Shariat's On Fire at Tauranga. 

Punters returned to the fray on January 3 when the heavily backed Pitman runners Eel Win, Zeddane and Coup Callum were successful at the Kurow meeting. 

Sing Song Girl was sensationally backed to win at Thames on January 4 and duly obliged, although the bookies replied in a favourable manner with the last gasp win of the Royce Dowling -Linda Laing trained Twinkling in the feature, the First Sovereign Trust Thames Gold Cup, as well as the upset win of Love Bite in the last race. 

January 5 saw the bookies finish just in front with with Sirrocean Storm, Dancing Shoes and Fritzy Boy proving good results for them while the Telegraph bound Victory Code and the Allan Sharrock promising three year old Bruxaar flew the flag for the punters.

Down south the punters again latched onto the potent combination of Michael Pitman and David Walsh with High Tide and the Greymouth Cup winner Borninthestates both being well backed. 

January 10 at Tauranga was definitely punter's day with both odds on favourites Dutyful and Magic Tryst being the subject of heavy betting from opening to start time.

Bookies responded the next day when the heavily backed Endearing and Flirtee had no answer to the Guy Lowry trained Shostakovich. 

January 12 proved a good day for the bookies with the wins of Sent to Sea, Magic Happens, The Silence Sir, Sabayon, Your'e My Angel and Deity proving good results at Ellerslie.

 Heavily backed runners on the day who failed to deliver included Golden Dollars, Ginga Dude, Trudy Tee, High Octane, Keepaflyin', Penrickson and Sanjeev. 

At Marton Blame Me, the Wayne Marshment trained Conversaad, the unwanted Manonamission, the Southerner Delbrae and Mega Belt were good results for the bookies.

The heavily backed and impressive Red Ruler, people's champion Sir Slick and the promising stayer Young Centaur proved popular with the punters. 

Kumara Gold Nuggets Day saw honours evenly split between bookies and punters, the David Walsh - Michael Pitman juggernaut continued on its merry way with punters collecting big time off Nervada and the Nuggets winner Borninthestates.

Other well-backed winners on the day included Global Emperor. Good results for the bookies included Pacific Paradise and Titsgittin as well as Pushy Too, with the well backed Ketchiben finishing a disappointing third. 

The Lowlight: OTAITAI JACK
The Highlight:  PASTA POST