A pair of staying heroes to remember forever; LETTERS.

ROYAL ASCOT 2009 will forever be remembered for Yeats's historic fourth Gold Cup, and rightly so.

While 'history' is usually thought of as something that happened a long time ago, it is humbling to see it unfold in front of our eyes - and somehow difficult to gauge. As Aidan O'Brien said: "History is so very hard to change and fairytales don't normally come true." How lucky we were that Yeats's team believed in the impossible and allowed him to fulfil his destiny to become a true racing great.

But, while it may seem strange to name another Royal Ascot winner in the same breath as Yeats, he, too, made history. Caracciola became the oldest Royal Ascot winner when, aged 12, he ran away - ears pricked, legs seemingly of one half his age - with the Queen Alexandra Stakes, and to see these old warriors compete, still so much in love with racing, is what it is all about.

Incidentally, it was a 15th career success for both, even though Caracciola contested a fair number of races more.

It is a great feat to keep a racehorse not only fit, but sweet and still eager to do it at such a level for such a long time - and we must not forget Caracciola became the oldest winner of the Cesarewich last season, as well as the oldest stakes winner when taking a Listed contest on his last start before Ascot.

One cannot praise highly enough O'Brien and Nicky Henderson, and their teams performed miracles. A mere thank you does not seem enough to express the gratitude we, the racing public, have for being able to enjoy them for such a long time.

I remember Caracciola from his first steps on German racetracks, now nearly ten years ago. It is heartwarming to see horses not being ruined by an excessive two-year-old career - both ran only once in their first season - but being campaigned with far more in mind.

The marvellous sight of Yeats running away with the Gold Cup - the dark, powerful, muscular athlete that he is - and Caracciola - much leaner, but little ears forward, striding clear of opponents half his age and less and making light of the gruelling two-and-three-quarter miles - will stay with us forever.

Catrin Nack Hamburg