Despite the warm conditions, a consistent westerly wind and dust, mainly emanating from the nearby under-construction housing subdivision, a big crowd turned out at the Ti-Tree Racecourse on Saturday for the Cooma and Sundowners Cup meeting.

Horses were travelled from as far as Sale, Wangaratta, Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange chasing the lucrative prize-money on offer.

In the Snowy Hydro Cooma Cup, although only four starters left the barriers, it proved a competitive and tactical race with last year's winner, Fox Appeal, again taking the honours, by one and three-quarter lengths, with Justin W Stanley riding.

Trained at Wangaratta by Craig Weeding, Fox Appeal ($1.80 favourite) defeated Ferrari Man trained at Boorowa by Andrew Bourke and Great Week was third.

The other feature race on Saturday was the Cooma Ex-Serviceman's Club Sundowner's Maiden Cup over 1400 metres and saw a field of eight horses.

Former Jindabyne local and now Canberra based trainer Becky Byrne had a great day out at Cooma with a winning double.

The first winner came in race two, the South East Rural Supplies 1000 metre Hcp Benchmark 45, when Rosy Sue, ridden by Jessica Brookes, defeated Chairman's Choice by a half-length and Noci Di Cocco was a close-up third.

The minor place-getters are both trained at Wangaratta by Andrew Dale.

Sontay, trained at Kembla Grange by the partnership of Mitchell Beer and George Carpenter, was successful in race six the Cooma Legal Services, McGrath Real Estate Benchmark Hcp over 1200 metres when ridden by Ryan Bradley.

Big Steve, trained by Anita Walder at Bombala was a close up second whilst Picksix from Wangaratta was third.

The last race on Saturday was the Litchfield and Schofield families, Get Built Stayers Hcp Benchmark 50 Hcp over 1800 metres.

Only three runners contested the event which was taken out by Tussock ($2 fav) by a head margin from Single Crown and with Release the Spirit seven lengths back in third.

The winner is trained at Sale in Victoria and was ridden by Deep Shanker, whilst the other two horses had travelled from Nowra and Wangaratta respectively.