It's a long way from class one grade at the provincials to Group Two company at Randwick but Jolie Bay made the leap in style with a barnstorming Roman Consul Stakes victory on Saturday.

Specked late to start at $9.50, Jolie Bay settled fifth of the six runners but steamed down the centre of the track to overhaul Knight Exemplar ($14) in the final bounds and win the 1200m race by a short head.

"She's come a long way from a Hawkesbury class one at her last start," co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.

"She's got a long way to go but it was only her third start and she's a real racehorse.

"She will probably head to Melbourne now and we'll find a nice little race for her."

Jolie Bay is a daughter of Legally Bay who was prepared by John Hawkes to win the 2003 Sweet Embrace Stakes.

Hawkes co-trains Jolie Bay with his sons Michael and Wayne.

Winning jockey Jay Ford described the three-year-old as "a serious filly" but said he wasn't confident he would overhaul the leaders in time.

"She's gutsy, classy and determined and she got the job done in the end," he said.

Ichihara continued a tough start to the day for punters when she became the second odds-on favourite to finish unplaced in the first three races following the flop of juvenile Sugar Babe in the Gimcrack Stakes.