a stalking horse

stalking horse

1. A political candidate who attempts to supplant the current party leader, solely to gauge how much support the incumbent has. He doesn't actually want to be elected—he's just a stalking horse who's trying to see how fractured our party really is.
2. Something that conceals a person's true intentions. I'm afraid that this deal is just a stalking horse for a more nefarious long-term plan.
See also: horse, stalk
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a stalking horse

1. If you describe an event or an action as a stalking horse, you mean that it is being used to help someone get what they really want at a later date. The development will act as a stalking horse for further exploitation of the surrounding countryside. Limits on union contributions will be a stalking horse to break the relationship between the party and the unions. Note: This expression is usually used to show disapproval.
2. In politics, a stalking horse is someone who stands against the leader of a party to test the strength of any opposition to the leader. They then withdraw in favour of a stronger challenger, if it looks likely that the leader can be defeated. There was even talk of one of them standing for the leadership as a stalking horse for the real contender. Note: You can also use stalking horse before a noun. The notion of a stalking horse challenge at the autumn party conference seemed highly unlikely. Note: Stalking horses were horses that were used by hunters. They were trained to allow their rider to hide behind them, and so get closer to the birds they were hunting.
See also: horse, stalk
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • stalking horse
  • straw poll
  • straw vote
  • take a straw poll
  • flown
  • fly a kite
  • fly a/your kite
  • trial balloon
  • float an idea
  • be flying a kite
References in periodicals archive
A stalking horse agreement is an initial offer on the assets of a bankrupt company that sets the bar for other interested parties so they can't underbid the purchase price.
Diversified Gas & Oil clinches 'stalking horse' deal to buy assets from EdgeMarc Energy
A stalking horse agreement refers to an initial bid for a bankrupt company's assets and sets the lower limit in a bankruptcy auction.
Suven gets US court approval to buy assets of Rising Pharmaceuticals
In politics, a stalking horse is a candidate put forth to test the field for someone else or someone to draw votes away from a third candidate.
Election Day is over, but the language remains Grammar Moses
US-based agricultural company S and W Seed Company (NASDAQ : SANW) has entered a stalking horse bid of USD 23m to purchase substantially all of the assets of US-based sorghum operator Chromatin, Inc., which entered into receivership earlier this year, the company said.
Deal snapshot: S AND W SEED ENTERS STALKING HORSE BID FOR CHOMATIN SORGHUM ASSETS FOR USD 23M
31 March 2017 - Bankrupt outdoor retail network Gander Mountain Co has filed a stalking horse bid by a joint venture comprised of Gordon Brothers and Hilco Merchant Resources to purchase substantially all of its assets, the company said.
Bankrupt Retailer Gander Mountain Files Stalking Horse Bid by Gordon Brothers, Hilco Merchant Resources JV
Barry Sheerman MP for Huddersfield and hard right enemy of Jeremy has stated in the Examiner that he is willing to stand as a stalking horse.
Panto stalking horse ALL day [...]
(NYSE: RICE), an independent natural gas and oil company, has signed a stalking horse asset purchase agreement with a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources Inc.
Rice Energy signs stalking horse asset purchase agreement with subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources
On Friday Rich Mirman, Freedom's chief executive, said the team he's leading to buy the company out of bankruptcy had decided to forego making a stalking horse bid for the company.
STOCK ADVISORY FIRMS OK JOURNAL/GANNETT MERGER Also in M&A: Insiders decline stalking-horse role at Freedom Comm
A stalking horse bidder is common in buying assets out of bankruptcy.
Complex sale
And having discounted wannabe stalking horse Adam Afriyie, the unheard of MP for Windsor, as a stalking horse to challenge David Cameron, eyes turned to home Secretary Theresa May who has decided to run for leadership when the time comes.
? IT'S now par for [...]
28, a court filing identified Investment Recovery Services of Fort Worth, Texas, as a stalking horse, and it bid $2 million.
Companies agree to buy Isaacson, but jobs are another question
He added: "There is no person in the Cabinet ready to do the damage, it needs a stalking horse." But Mr Brown yesterday insisted he was staying put, saying only he had the experience and leadership to steer Labour to the general election.
PM WARNED OF STALKING HORSE RIVAL
Mr McDonnell, who chairs the Socialist Campaign Group of left-leaning MPs, said: "I would never stand as a stalking horse.
MP rejects stalking horse claim; POLITICS
ID is more than just creationism's Trojan horse--it is a stalking horse for the Religious Right's effort to steamroll its way into American education and public policy.
Intelligent design: creationsim's Trojan horse: a conversation with Barbara Forrest
A stalking horse is the preferred bidder in a bankruptcy-court-supervised auction; the term is derived from fowlers who bid behind their horses when hunting birds, and it implies that other participants in the auction may not wish to be identified.
Sale date set for machine-tool portions of DeVlieg Bullard II