当あて馬うま

noun

teaser stallion; test stallion

In horse breeding, a stallion used to check if a mare is in estrus before introducing the intended sire.

• 牧ぼく場じょうでは、繁はん殖しょく期きに当あて馬うまを使つかって牝ひん馬ばの発はつ情じょうを確かく認にんする。

  At the ranch, they use a teaser stallion during breeding season to check if the mare is in heat.

noun

stalking horse; spoiler; decoy candidate

Figurative use in politics or competition: a person or thing put forward to draw attention or test reactions, often to benefit another. The 'spoiler' nuance is when a third candidate splits the vote.

• 彼かれは選せん挙きょで当あて馬うまとして立りっ候こう補ほしたが、本ほん命めい候こう補ほの票ひょうを奪うばう結けっ果かになった。

  He ran in the election as a stalking horse, but ended up taking votes away from the front-runner.

• その新しん製せい品ひんは、競きょう合ごう他た社しゃの反はん応のうを見みるための当あて馬うまに過すぎなかった。

  The new product was merely a stalking horse to gauge competitors' reactions.