back the right horse
Pick the winner
To back the right horse is to support or invest in the person, idea, or option that proves successful.
From horse racing, where backing a horse means betting on it.
The phrase usually appears in hindsight or as advice: It looks like we backed the right horse with that hire.
The opposite, back the wrong horse, describes a choice that fails.
- choiceAct of selecting
- gambleStake on uncertain outcome
- advocatePublic cause supporter
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
good call · pick a winner · achievement · foresight · victory · payoff · evaluation · hedge your bets · champion · align · triumph · longshot · wager · betting odds · endorse · prediction · probability · bolster
back the right horselose one's shirt
Forfeit all assets
come up empty · throw good money after bad · draw the short straw · take a bath
backs, backed, backing, backer, backside, backward, backwards, right, rights