The Punt Acca: Charlie Huggins' two horse racing tips from Punchestown on New Year's Eve

Two horses to include in a multiple on Sunday . . .

Three Card Brag (12.45 Punchestown)

Bumper winner who struck twice over hurdles before making a decent start to life over fences when headed late on by Corbetts Cross at Fairyhouse. That runner-up effort was a more than satisfactory chasing debut by Three Card Brag considering Corbetts Cross was second in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown on Friday. Three Card Brag beat Monty's Star and Nick Rockett, both graded winners over hurdles, in what was a strong beginners chase for which he was sent off the 7-4 favourite. The Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old has an excellent chance of going one better in a weaker event here and the step up to 3m should suit as he finished a decent fifth of 20 in last season's Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle over the same trip at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sir Gerhard (2.15 Punchestown)

High-class bumper horse who excelled over hurdles before struggling to find a clear role in Willie Mullins' team of novice chasers last season. Excuses can be made for his poor showings in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and at the Punchestown festival as those races were both over further than three miles and Sir Gerhard clearly didn't stay the trip. It's no coincidence that he bolted up by 38 lengths over 2m on his chasing debut and was beaten only half a length in a Fairyhouse Grade 1 over 2m4f in April. The return to hurdles over 2m3f on heavy ground here should suit perfectly as Sir Gerhard's second Cheltenham Festival victory came in last year's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, run over 2m5f on going that was officially described as soft but was later changed to heavy for the last three races on the card. Sir Gerhard demonstrated his wellbeing when travelling well in second before falling at the second last in a Naas Grade 3 chase won by Dinoblue, who was receiving 7lb from Sir Gerhard and followed up in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown on Wednesday. Everything looks set for Sir Gerhard to make a confidence-boosting successful return to hurdling.

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