Cheltenham Festival 2012: Supreme Novice Hurdle kicks off battle between punters and bookmakers Among those horses already heavily backed during the morning are two of today's 'bankers', Sprinter Sacre in the Racing Post Arkle and Hurricane Fly, the Irish trained reigning Champion, in the Champion Hurdle. If today's other odds-on favourite, Quevega, also comes in and wins a fourth OLBG Mares' Hurdle, it will change the face of the punting landscape this week and will have bookmakers running for cover. History suggests, however, the bookies will be spared an early bloodbath but it is estimated £300m will be bet this week. Racegoers, of which some 230,000 are expected over the four days, will have driven through thick fog to get to Cheltenham today but visibility at the track has been excellent all morning with a good view to all points of the course. The sun, I expect, will break through when the runners for the first circle at the start. Any clouds on the horizon? Well, the controversial whip rules, watered down for a third time last week, will be thoroughly road-tested by the end of the week. Jockeys are only allowed to hit a horse eight times but the stewards now have discretion to give them a little leeway if they go over the quota. Jockeys have accepted the new rules but at Cheltenham, where a lot of the visiting Irish jockeys have never had to ride within these guidelines and where winning is everything, don't be surprised to see a few bans dished out.