Lee Westwood has vowed to pull out all stops and snatch a second Omega European Masters success after watching his horse ‘Hoof It’ beaten into third place at Haydock Park race track in England.

Westwood, who is struggling with a head cold, posted a third round 64 to muscle his way to second spot at 13-under par on the Crans-sur-Sierre course.

Lee Westwood sees his horse finish third but the World No. 2 is hoping to go two better in Switzerland. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, chasing first Tour success in over 200 events, carded a 65 to go past Westwood and into the lead at 14-under par.

Reigning U.S. Open champ, Rory McIlroy had yet another frustrating day on the greens as evident when he bogeyed 16 and 17 in a score of 67 to be in third place at 12-under par.

Westwood was delighted to end his round some 30 minutes before the start of the BetFred Sprint Cup, and also a TV showing coverage of the British Spint Series race from Merseyside.

Westwood was joined in the ‘Statistics hut’ by fellow Brit Danny Willett along with McIlroy’s caddy J P Fitzgerald and some others, and with Westwood parking himself slap bang in front of the set and speaking on his mobile ahead of the race with his manager, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler and Hoof It’s’ trainer.

“The message is Hoof It’s looking great, so we could be in for a great race,” said Westwood.

When the race finally got underway, the World No. 2 was soon out of his seat cheering on the horse with calls of  ‘C’mon, Hoof It’, C’mon’ until it was confirmed in a photo finish that ‘Hoof It’ had finished third to to ‘Dream Ahead’ and ‘Bated Breath’.

“Hoof it’s only just missed out and besides he’s got such a great backside for sprinting and he’ll win a good share of races,” said Westwood.

“I now have to get out there tomorrow and put in another thoroughbred effort myself and go two better than ‘Hoof It’”

And Westwood will have one eye on another horse he owns, ‘On the Hoof’ that is racing at York.