Racing:Kingsbarns provided Aidan O'Brien with a first juvenile winner of 2012 in Britain when winning the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.
The Ballydoyle youngsters have had an unusually frustrating year on their travels but the son of Galileo went some way to setting that record straight with an impressive victory in the final Group One of the season.
Having jumped well, Joseph O'Brien settled him in behind the front pair of Trading Leather and Steeler with all seven runners closely grouped.
O'Brien eased him out to launch his challenge and it was apparent that he was travelling far more easily than his rivals but the son of Galileo looked green in front and didn't pull clear of the field in the manner that might have been expected.
Van Der Neer took a while to respond to Richard Hughes' urgings but did eventually pick up the bit and closed the gap on the Navan maiden winner - who only made his debut 17 days ago - to a length and three quarters at the line with Steeler back in third.
Kingsbarns was the trainer's seventh winner of the mile contest and followed hot on the heels of Camelot's victory in the race 12 months ago.
That colt, of course, went on to win the Epsom Derby and Sky Bet were sufficiently impressed with the performance to halve the winner's price to 6/1 for the Investec-sponsored Classic.
"We're obviously delighted. He's only a baby coming here but he's got an unbelievable cruising speed," said the master of Ballydoyle. "He won his maiden on easy ground and we were intent on leaving him off for the season but we gave him one bit of work and after that he was very fresh. There was a big exam for this being sat and he passed it with flying colours and all his figures stacked up.
"You never know how they are going to react but that's how he ended up being here (supplemented). All the boxes were ticked at home - his speed figures, his recovery, his visuals and everything we do at home. The boys (owners) made the decision to let him come on his own. I'm a coward, I'd have run them all.
"You can never be sure of stamina but he's by Galileo. When they travel like him, though, it makes you wonder. He'll have learned a lot. That was the first time he's been away from home - there's also a stiff wind and it's a wide-open place.
"Joseph said he was stopping in front and pricking his ears, he took it up earlier than he wanted. He's very exciting."
The younger O'Brien feels a Guineas tilt wasn't out of the question.
"He was very relaxed and travelled well and I don't think the ground will ever be an issue for him," said O'Brien jnr. "He quickened up two out and then idled when he hit the front, as you'd expect from just his second run. It's obviously up to the owners and dad but I wouldn't be surprised to see him start off in the Guineas."
Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Saeed Manana, who owns Van Der Neer, said: "He ran on strongly. He looked well beaten at one stage yet when he switched him he maybe found a better strip of ground. He certainly stayed the trip."