runners and riders
The candidates in a competition or leadership contest.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Here are the runners and riders for the upcoming club election.”
“The political analysts spent the morning discussing the runners and riders for the party leadership contest.”
“As the deadline for nominations approached, the media meticulously scrutinized the runners and riders to determine who possessed the strongest chance of securing the nomination.”
- 01
black rider
Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
- 02
front runner
Any of the most likely winners in a contest, election, etc.
- 03
pale rider
Death, the Grim Reaper or angel of death; and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
- 04
red rider
War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
- 05
white rider
Conquest or Pestilence, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Last updated August 10, 2026