Punchestown Festival fun will start a day early this year when the Punchestown Mastermind 2011 event takes place in the Naas Court Hotel on the eve of the festival on Monday 2nd May at 8pm.

In aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association the event will feature a preview of the upcoming action at Punchestown along with a Mastermind style quiz with Peter Scudamore, Matt Chapman, Davy Russell and HRI's Martin Murphy locking horns.

Leon Blanche of Boylesports and Ladbrokes PR girl Hayley O’Connor will also be squaring up to each other on the night in a one round Mastermind head-to-head. Blanche has opted for the career of Hurricane Fly as his specialist subject while the insightful Ladbrokes glamour girl will be tested on ‘The horses of Jessica Harrington’ when she takes the hot seat.

The winner of the Bookmakers Mastermind will get a €500 charity bet with the opposing firm on any horse running at this year’s Punchestown festival, with all proceeds going towards IMNDA. One of Irish racing’s own stalwarts Damien McElroy will be taking on the quizmaster role as Magnus Magnusson for the evening.