“Cloudy with a chance of Meatball” is the weather report for Sandown Park on Thursday night.

Apologies for the ‘dad joke’, but Meatball Molly (Box 4) is a serious chance in the $15,250 GOTBA Karen Leek Memorial (515m) – Race 4, 7.07pm.

Meatball Molly is named after English mixed martial artist Molly McCann who, in her early years as an MMA fighter in the UFC, earned the nickname “Meatball Molly” supporting herself by working at Subway.

Meatball Molly – the canine version – may ‘eat fresh’, but it’s debatable a six-inch sub has ever been on her menu.

However, she’s chasing a tasty $10,000 ‘main course’ tomorrow night.

Prepared at Lara by Jess Sharp, Meatball Molly – rated a $3.60 chance by GRV’s expert form analyst The Watchdog – only started racing in late February this year.

“She needs to get to the ‘fence’ early and if she can do that, she’ll be hard to beat.”

She’s won four races from 14 starts, with two of her wins coming at The Meadows (30.23sec & 30.19sec) in consecutive weeks during April.

Last month, she finished fifth to Baby Jaycee in a heat of the Group 1 Sapphire Crown.

Meatball Molly (Aug ’21 Orson Allen x Spyfection) – owned by the DK Greyhounds syndicate, comprising Kane Collins and Damian Ito – has had two starts from box four for a first and a second placing.

But Jess says, “you’ve got to be drawn towards the inside at Sandown Park”.

“I’d much prefer her in the ‘red’ than the ‘blue’. She needs to get to the ‘fence’ early and if she can do that, she’ll be hard to beat.

“And I believe she’ll eventually find around three lengths at the ‘back end’ with more maturity.

“She’s also a working machine at home; she wants to keep going. I keep trying to curb her enthusiasm.”

Tomorrow night’s SGRC fixture pays homage to ‘Women in Racing’ and is further highlighted by the $15,250 Judy Hayley Memorial final (515m) – Race 3, 6.48pm – which also carries a $10,000 winner’s purse.

Judy, who trained 2001 G1 Melbourne Cup winner Classic Capri, sadly passed away in 2012.

Ironically, Judy bred Meatball Molly’s granddam – Telling You. Both greyhounds are descendants of Paul and Diane Bartolo’s ‘Leprechaun Miss’ line.

A legend in the sport as a breeder, rearer and trainer – and in so many other ways – Karen Leek passed away in tragic circumstances in 2020 and was posthumously inducted into GRV’s Hall of Fame.

“She was the nicest lady in the industry,” Jess said in a personal tribute to Karen.

“She was like a ‘mother figure’, in the true sense of the term, and was always giving advice to up-and-coming trainers.

“You would always listen to her opinions, and she wanted only the best for everyone.”

Pawnote: Other GRV Hall of Fame inductees honoured on the program are Pat Haas, Marg Thomas, Mary Lieshout, Marg Long and Jan Wilson.

CLICK HERE  FOR GRV HALL OF FAME – KAREN LEEK