The Transitional handicaps replace classes 5,6 and welter races in NSW. They are open to all horses. However the quality of them can vary quite markedly. IMO they contain horses that are either improving on the way to better grades or for horses over the hill in transit to oblivion. The variation probably comes from the number of horses in each race drawn from these two categories. ie if it is full of old plodders in winter it is weaker than young improvers in spring/autumn.