And that's why he thinks getting Starlight Starbright into the 3yr-old trotting division of the Harness Jewels at Ashburton on Saturday is an achievement in itself.
Allen has just the two trotters in work - Starlight Star-bright and Sea Eyre, a 2yr-old that qualified at Forbury Park earlier this month.
So qualifying half his racing team for the age-grade feature day at Ashburton is a thrill for Allen, who can fairly be called a training minnow in contrast to the 23 runners that All Stars Stables trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen are lining up.
Allen does have one ace in the hole - a driver by the name of Dexter Dunn, the country's leading reinsman.
Allen and Dunn combined for three wins with Zachary Smith at the start of the season before he was sold, and Allen hopes Dunn's wondrous hands can steer Starlight Starbright safely around the big Ashburton track.
‘‘Dexter worked the oracle with Zachary Smith, and turned him into a good horse,'' Allen said.
‘‘The first bend is a bit of a worry for him as he does push a knee sometimes, so hopefully Dexter will let him brush up into the bend and we'll go from there.''
Starlight Starbright has drawn barrier 1 so a soft trip on the markers - perhaps three back or four back - would suit Allen just fine, and the gelding has recovered from a cough that affected him in his past two starts. ‘‘Hopefully he's over it now, and he's been working good this week,'' he said.
‘‘But there are some pretty smart horses there.''
Those smart horses include dual Derby winner Speeding Spur and Monbet, although top filly Habibti Ivy has a question mark over her due to a hoof issue.
Starlight Starbright does most of his work on the long stretch of Katiki Beach between Shag Point and Moeraki, and is showing no ill effects from a busy 2014-15 season, which has included 24 starts.
‘‘He's a very fit and very sound horse because of the beach and the way I train.
‘‘He travels well - we have no issues with him sweating up or anything. Going away is like a day off for him - he enjoys it.''
Regardless of where Starlight Starbright finishes, at worst Allen and co-owner Alan Edge will leave with $2200 - the payment given to all runners in trotting fields at the Jewels.
After that, Allen will try to pick up one last win before the end of July.
‘‘It would be nice to get one more win, because we get one more win penalty-free [through the 3yr-old concessions],'' Allen said.
‘‘It would be nice to get it on Saturday!
‘‘But we may go to Forbury the following week and try to pick up that penalty-free win, and that will be him for the season. Hopefully, he'll be a bit stronger next year.''
