Crystal d'Ainay soars over the last. (Getty Images)

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Crystal D'Ainay consigned the memory of a terrible performance on his latest start to the waste bin as the application of a visor worked the oracle in the betfair.com Rendlesham Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday.

In beating Monet's Garden by three and a half lengths, the Alan King-trained gelding re-emerged as the biggest danger to Baracouda's bid for a third stayers' championship in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

But even with his mount seemingly back to form, jockey Robert Thornton is still wondering exactly how he can beat the French favourite in next month's race.

Thornton was just biding his time in behind the favourite Royal Rosa turning for home and a good jump at the second-last put him right into contention in today's extended three-mile contest.

As Royal Rosa began to back-pedal, Monet's Garden stayed on from the back to launch a run down the outside.

He never looked like getting the better of the 5-2 winner, though, as Crystal D'Ainay came home three and a half lengths clear, with Monet's Garden six lengths ahead of Royal Rosa.

Thornton explained the improvement he had felt in the horse from the use of headgear.

"He just didn't pick up at all last time, but today he was jumping better and travelling better with the visor on," said the rider.

"This ground wouldn't have been ideal for him either, so he did really well. He picked up well from the last rather than idling, which he can do sometimes.

"I'm delighted he has come back to form and I'm looking forward to Cheltenham, although I'm not sure how we are going to beat Baracouda.

"I tried to kick on with him last year and he beat us, and then at Windsor I took two pulls and left it as late as possible and he still beat us. But we'll give it a go and I'd love to think he can do it, because he deserves to win a big one."

King admitted to being initially reluctant to try the visor on his charge.

"I don't particularly like using them, I'm not really a visor man, but it's something 'Choc' (Thornton) has mentioned for quite a while," he said.

"We tried it the other morning. I felt we couldn't leave it until Cheltenham and experiment then, so we had better do it today."

Crystal D'Ainay was making up for a very disappointing display in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, and King believes he is now back in top order.

"At Cheltenham he just stood there while I saddled him, which is not like him at all, and today he was more like the old bull in the china shop," he said.

"He's obviously in very good form and the visor has possibly helped him.

"Gary, who usually rides him at home, said he's in the best form he's ever been in his life, so I just hope we can keep him the same until we get him to Cheltenham.

"We don't know what went wrong in the Cleeve. He was just very quiet afterwards, but in the last week or so he has really come back to himself."

VCbet and Ladbrokes cut Crystal D'Ainay to 5-1 joint-second favourite from 8-1 for the World Hurdle, with Paddy Power initially longest at 7-1 but then going 6s.

Most layers removed Royal Rosa and Patriarch Express from the betting, the former having returned to the unsaddling enclosure looking decidedly sore.

However, Nicky Richards was pleased with the effort of Monet's Garden, who will now bypass Cheltenham for the three-mile John Smith's Liverpool Long Distance Hurdle at Aintree.

"I'm delighted with that as he wasn't enjoying the ground at all," reported the Cumbria-based trainer.

"I was a bit mystified at the way he hit a flat spot, as it looked like he was going to finish last around the home turn.

"But he stayed on all the way to the line and I'm happy enough with that.

"Next season he'll go chasing and then I hope we will all be able to see just how good he is."